Tigerboy1966

I think that makes Hoshoryu the first yokozuna to lose his debut bout since Takanohana in January 1995. On the positive side, Takanohana then went on to a 13-2 yusho.

Unfortunately as a 58-year-old gin-drinker I can only get £20 each for my kidneys and apparently I need at least one to live. Looks like the koen will have to manage without me this time.

I think that will take some stopping. Certainly top 10.

I was looking good until the bottom of the banzuke, but went 4/16 from 14w downwards. My other zeros were Oho/Kirishima and Meisei/Takarafuji. Flips were Ura/Kinbozan and Hakuoho/Endo

60 points I think. Knew it wasn't going to be my day when I saw Oho at sekiwake. Looking at another solid KK without bothering the leaders.

Sorry, sorry, sorry... I meant URA!

Whenever people start posting their guesses there's usually one thing the jumps out at me as a blunder on my part. Last time I was too generous with Chiyoshoma, this time around it looks like I have been too harsh on Endo. Oh well, I'll find out soon enough.

Hoshoryu(12-3 Ow) Y Onosato(10-5 Ow) O Kotozakura(5-10 Oe) Daieisho(11-4 Sw) S Kirishima(11-4 M1w) Oho(12-3 M3w) K Abi(7-8 Ke) Wakatakakage(7-8 Kw) M1 Wakamotoharu(6-9 Se) Gonoyama(8-7 M3e) M2 Chiyoshoma(9-6 M5w) Tobizaru(7-8 M2e) M3 Takanosho(6-9 M1e) Takayasu(8-7 M6e) M4 Ichiyamamoto(8-7 M6w) Kinbozan(12-3 M14w) M5 Ura(7-8 M4w) Hiradoumi(7-8 M5e) M6 Takerufuji(10-5 M11w) Shodai(6-9 M4e) M7 Tamawashi(9-6 M10e) Atamifuji(5-10 M2w) M8 Oshoma(8-7 M9w) Endo(6-9 M7e) M9 Hakuoho(10-5 M15e) Nishikigi(8-7 M12e) M10 Shonannoumi(8-7 M13e) Midorifuji(7-8 M11e) M11 Takarafuji(5-10 M8w) Meisei(6-9 M10w) M12 Onokatsu(7-8 M12w) Nishikifuji(9-6 M17e) M13 Shishi(13-2 J4w) Ryuden(11-4 J3e) M14 Aonishiki(12-3 J5w) Churanoumi(4-11 M9e) M15 Sadanoumi(9-6 J1e) Asakoryu(9-6 J2w) M16 Mitakeumi(2-13 M7w) Kotoshoho(5-10 M13w) M17 Tokihayate(7-8 M17w) Shirokuma(9-6 J4e) M18

Deadline is 18th February! Crikey O'Riley! I am sure my significant other will understand if I spend the Valentine's weekend poring over spreadsheets and database queries.

Kinboshi to Tobizaru for beating Hoshoryu in the "pain face" contest.

Just looking at Shosei's record... He had a ten-year run in makushita and recorded wins over Takakeisho, Takayasu, Ikioi, Aoiyama and Keisei. Whenever he reached the ms promotion zone he banged his head on the ceiling but he was obviously pretty good.

On the "Takakeisho got screwed" sub-topic... Takakeisho's jun-yusho in November 2022 was an odd one. He lost very tamely to Abi, but there was a suspicion that he threw the bout to spare Takayasu who had been injured in the first match of the play-off. When I say "suspicion" I mean that Chris Sumo said so.

Daieisho, Kirishima and Oho have all recorded scores which could be the start of an ozeki run. And if Kotozakura doesn't improve drastically in March we are going to have an ozeki deficit come May.

I can't see any logjams or gaping holes in the next banzuke. Either Kirishima or Oho will get the vacant sekiwake slot; whoever loses out gets K1e. Looks as though Abi will keep his rank but shuffle to the west as there are no other obvious candidates for K1w. Hey Chiyoshoma! This is what happens when you take your foot off the gas in the second week!

We end with a three-way tie involving Mitakeumi, Tokihayate and Kotoshoho. They work out half a rank behind Shirokuma but I think that maku'uchi privilege will see all three staying up.