Match-Ups: How they are decided

[Jonosuke 28]

I posted this on SML in response to a member's question but I thought I could add the piece to the knowledgebase here as well.

Torikumi or bout match-ups are done by Torikumi Hensei (Arranging) Committee members who also set up next basho's Banzuke at Banzuke Hensei Committee meeting, regurally held after the basho.

Incidentally Juryo, Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions are formally announced at the Banzuke Hensei meeting and in case of Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions, the committee will dispatch an oyakata (or a couple of

oyakatas normally from the same Ichimon as the promoted Ozeki or Yokozuna) who will personally convey

the news to the rikishi and his shisho.

Now back to the Torikumi Hensei or Bout match-ups:

Who

----

The match-ups are decided by Torikumi Hensei Committee members generally numbering around two dozens.

The members are the following:

- 1 Director of Judging Division

- 20 or less members from Judging Division

- 3 Auditors (Oyakatas who were elected at the Kyokai Directors Election held every two years)

Additionally a gyoji is present and he performs a duty as clerk to take down the match-ups but has no say in setting them.

When

---- --

For Day 1 and 2, the match-ups are made up two days before the basho starts (i.e. the Friday before the

basho). From Day 3, the match-ups are arranged and announced on the previous day.

Makuuchi: The committee meets on 10 AM and the next day's full match-ups are discussed and decided. So

when Makuuchi rikishis arrive for the day's bout, they are normally informed who their next day opponent will be (except for someone like Takamisakari who refuses to hear his opponent until the same day as he claims it will put an undue pressure on him if hearing it the day before).

Juryo: After the day's Juryo bouts are over (around 4 PM), the committee members decide the next day's

match-ups.

Makushita and below: As Makushita and lower ranked rikishis only have their bout every other day, their

match-ups are arranged after the completion of all Makushita bouts (around 3 PM) on even basho days (i.e

2, 4, 6 etc).The members will decide a full two day of Makushita and lower division match-ups.

Except for the match-ups on Day 13 to the Senshuraku will be decided after all the Makushita bouts are

completed on Day 12.

Rules

------

All rikishis not belonging to the same heya can face each other except close relatives (like brothers,

Kotozakura/Toyozakura and Roho/Hakurozan) in a "hon-wari" (regular basho day). Rikishis from the same

heya or brothers can face each other in Yusho Deciding round on Senshuraku.

Generally match-ups are made between similar ranking rikishis. A lower Makuuchi rikishi can face an upper

Makuuchi rikishi (even a Yokozuna or Ozeki) if the lower ranking rikishi is in the yusho race but this type of match-up can only be made after the Nakabi (Day 8).

For Makushita and lower, rikishis with a similar record are often matched against one other.

Based on their records there can be some bouts arranged between Makuuchi and Juryo rikishis, Juryo and Makushita rikishis and Makushita and Sandanme rikishis.

If there is a kyujo rikishi, the director of Judging will inform the committee and match-ups are arranged

accordingly. In certain case when a kyujo is announced after the committee decided on the next day's

Torikiumi, they may reconvene to re-arrange the match-ups. One such case is when a rikishi may get

two straight Fusen wins.

To be credited with a Fusen win, the rikishi must be present at the dohyo and must step on the dohyo when

called in by the gyoji, If he is unable to do so, he will have a loss.

[Asojima 2,874]

Good post Jono-seki. Confirms several things I thought I knew but would not have wanted to post, and fills in some interesting details I didn't know. (Sign of approval)

[Jakusotsu 5,952]

(Sign of approval) (Blushing...) B-)

Mods, please put it into the Information Pond!

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

Rules

------

All rikishis not belonging to the same heya can face each other except close relatives (like brothers,

Kotozakura/Toyozakura and Roho/Hakurozan) in a "hon-wari" (regular basho day). Rikishis from the same

heya or brothers can face each other in Yusho Deciding round on Senshuraku.

I have always thought of this as the "brother-rule", but it sounds here as if it's not quite that clear. Does this mean (in the very unlikely event such a pair from different heyas ever emerged) father and son would also avoid being matched against each other by this rule? What about a rikishi and his uncle? Cousins? (Blushing...)

Edited March 29, 2006 by Yubiquitoyama

[Jonosuke 28]

Does this mean (in the very unlikely event such a pair from different heyas ever emerged) father and son would also avoid being matched against each other by this rule? What about a rikishi and his uncle? Cousins? ;-)

I don't know why I should be able to come up with such a trivia (Blushing...) but on Day 12 at the 1962 Kyushu Basho, the last bout of Makushita was between Shikinohana (former Juryo 13, Miyagino Beya) and Hasegawa (former Sekiwake, Sadogatake Beya, current Hidenoyama oyakata).

However on the same day it was discovered that Shikinohana's older sister was actually Hasegawa's mother and they cancelled the bout, resulting both going "kyujo" that day. So in this case it was a nephew and his uncle.

If I recall the very first brother vs brother bout occured at the 1993 Aki Basho, when Kasugano Beya's Fujiwara and Tochifudo (former Juryo 12, Kasugano Beya) faced each other in the Jonokuchi Yusho Kettei-sen semi-final.

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

Does this mean (in the very unlikely event such a pair from different heyas ever emerged) father and son would also avoid being matched against each other by this rule? What about a rikishi and his uncle? Cousins? ;-)

I don't know why I should be able to come up with such a trivia (Applauding...) but on Day 12 at the 1962 Kyushu Basho, the last bout of Makushita was between Shikinohana (former Juryo 13, Miyagino Beya) and Hasegawa (former Sekiwake, Sadogatake Beya, current Hidenoyama oyakata).

However on the same day it was discovered that Shikinohana's older sister was actually Hasegawa's mother and they cancelled the bout, resulting both going "kyujo" that day. So in this case it was a nephew and his uncle.

If I recall the very first brother vs brother bout occured at the 1993 Aki Basho, when Kasugano Beya's Fujiwara and Tochifudo (former Juryo 12, Kasugano Beya) faced each other in the Jonokuchi Yusho Kettei-sen semi-final.

Wow, thanks! Those are really amazing pieces of trivia and most definitely interesting to a trivia junkie such as myself! Thanks! (Applauding...) (Blushing...)

[nomadwolf 8]

Well, after a quick search, I didn't find answers, so:

How is the order of bouts determined? I can tell the rank of the higher-ranked rikishi is the main factor, however, is east/west ignored? Or does an M10e-M12w bout always come after an M10w-M11e bout? Does the higher ranked rikishi always fight on "his" side?

For ozeki, are their relative ranks ignored? Looking at today (Aki '09 day 3), Kaio is 2 bouts after Kotooshu. Is the rank of their opponent the determining factor of ozeki-bout order?

grazi!

[Asashosakari 19,273]

How is the order of bouts determined? I can tell the rank of the higher-ranked rikishi is the main factor, however, is east/west ignored? Or does an M10e-M12w bout always come after an M10w-M11e bout?

In that case, the M10e bout will come later on odd-numbered days, and the M10w bout later on even-numbered days. Preferential treatment alternates there just like it does for the dohyo-iri or the yobidashi/gyoji announcements.

Does the higher ranked rikishi always fight on "his" side?

Yep. The only exception in recent years has been when the East Yokozuna was absent, the West guy switched over to the East side.

For ozeki, are their relative ranks ignored? Looking at today (Aki '09 day 3), Kaio is 2 bouts after Kotooshu. Is the rank of their opponent the determining factor of ozeki-bout order?

For ranks with more inhabitants than just one each East and West (e.g. also for three sekiwake, etc.) the alternating pattern turns into a full rotation. On Day 1 Kotooshu as the O1e got the final bout, then he dropped to the bottom of the pile (and everyone else shifted upwards) and O1w Kotomitsuki was the nominal rank leader on Day 2, and today it's O2e Harumafuji.

Late edit: Forgot to mention one exception - for senshuraku, those rotations are always reset to their "natural" state, i.e. the 1e guy goes last. (Unless some of them are facing higher-ranked rikishi, of course, whose own placement always overrides that of lower-ranked opponents' rotations.)

Edited September 15, 2009 by Asashosakari

[Washuyama 641]

.....

Awesome explanation!! (Holiday feeling...)

Edited September 15, 2009 by Washuyama

[Andonishiki 169]

recently (saikin) they should be better called

Torikumi Hentai (strange match-ups) Commitee,

as the usual rules seem not to apply anymore

[Andonishiki 169]

for everyone, who likes to learn about torikumi making and how to get terribly wrong gueesing the next days torikumi,

I highly recommend a game called GKA (guess kisenosato's aite)

new players very welcome, easy rules, daily time of less then 20secs required from day 0 to day 13.

pls check the GKA thread in sumogames for details (it's a forum based game at current).

[ScreechingOwl 343]

Brothers-in-law are also excluded from facing each other except if there is a kettei-sen. Most recently this was applied when Shotenro married Kyokutenho's sister.