Whats the record for....

[Ryukaze 0]

The most rikishi that have ever been involved in a playoff? (Makuuchi I guess or any division even....), and how is it decided if say 5 or 7 (an uneven number) of rikishi are involved? I'd have to assume its happened before at least once, interested in hearing from the experts on this.......-

[Guest Vincentoryu]

The playoff system

When two or more rikishi finish the basho in a tie for the lead, they participate in a kettei-sen (playoff). This is equivalent to "King of the Mountain." Thus, if only two rikishi are involved, the play a single bout and the winner gets the yusho.

If three rikishi are involved, they draw from three papers which have one of the following marks: Higashi (East), Nishi (West) or a circle. The East and West rikishi then face off and the winner of that match then faces the rikishi who sat out the first match. This continues until one rikishi compiles two consecutive victories.

If four rikishi are involved (I think I read that this has happened a few times), then they draw lots and compete in a semi final with the winners advancing to the yusho bout.

In the Makunouchi division, a two or three man playoff might happen twice a year. In the lower ranks where there are hundreds of competitors and only seven bouts, playoffs involving as many as half a dozen rikishi are not uncommon.

With five rikishi (happened once when 11 wins were enough to qualify for the yusho play off (Kyushu 1996 when Takanohana was absent) involved there is the drawing of lots with one rikishi receiving a bye.

Three rikishi remain after the first round and now the three rikishi system comes into play.

I think that in a seven or eight rikishi play-off there is essentially organized a mini knock out tournament.

(This information was compiled from www.scgroup.com/sumo and edited on some points.)

[Kintamayama 45,299]

In the Makunouchi division, a two or three man playoff might happen twice a year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It hasn't happened for three years now, so I wouldn't say it might happen twice a year.

[Andreas 0]

there was the asa-hokutoriki playoff last year.

[Odoriou 0]

It hasn't happened for three years now, so I wouldn't say it might happen twice a year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have to blame Asashoryu for that. In pre-Asa time it happened more often. (You are going off-topic...)

[Frinkanohana 13]

You can find a list of all Makuuchi playoffs since 1947 at sumoinfo.de.

There have been 62 playoffs in Makuuchi since 1947, so the average is a bit more than one per year. Of those 62 playoffs 53 have been two man, 6 three man, 2 four man and 1 five man playoffs.

I don't have a list of lower division playoffs. The biggest I remember was a eight man playoff in Juryo in Nagoya 2001. The winner of that playoff was Buyuzan.

[Kintamayama 45,299]

there was the asa-hokutoriki playoff last year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I deny that categorically.

[Mark Buckton 1]

wasn't there a playoff with about 40 blokes this January? Started on the 9th on something called shonichi and finished on the 23rd IIRC. Anyway, they had the playoff - lots of fights over 15 days and Asashoryu won it by all accounts.

That must be the biggest (You are going off-topic...)

[Odoriou 0]

May I correct you? The playoff itself took only thirteen days. Last two days were a bonus for the crowd. (You are going off-topic...)

Edited February 9, 2005 by Odoriou

[Ryukaze 0]

wasn't there a playoff with about 40 blokes this January?  Started on the 9th on something called shonichi and finished on the 23rd IIRC.  Anyway, they had the playoff - lots of fights over 15 days and Asashoryu won it by all accounts.

That must be the biggest  (Whistling...)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Adachinoryu" you are hilarious bro! (or not...) yah.....N E Wayz yeah thats basically what I was wandering how the 5 man thing works one guy draws a bye though eh? hmm.......

[Doitsuyama 1,190]

We had a five-men playoff in Jonokuchi right now. Just look for my day 15 lower division results posting, and study the Jonokuchi kettei-sen.