Currently,
the SUPER BANZUKE is
comprised of 19 individual games. A list can be found on the main page.
Why isn't
(insert game
name here) included?
The
games chosen to comprise the
SUPER
BANZUKE ranking are all widely popular "prediction-type" internet sumo
games which require players to showcase
their expertise of sumo competition through picking winners and/or
losers
during each Basho. Games that are of a genre other than
"prediction-type",
as well as games not widely played,
and games that lack the necessary statistical archives/rankings, have
not
been included. For a new game to be included in the SUPER
BANZUKE, it needs to have more players ranked on its banzuke than the
game that has the lowest number of current players on the banzuke that
is already a member. Should a new game emerge that qualifies in
the
genre
of "prediction-type" and gain enough popularity, it shall be included
in the SB. Already the SB has grown from its 9
original
games to 19.
What if a
game is discontinued?
In that event (and we hope it never
happens),
the points earned in that particular game will be phased out over the
next
3 Basho. After a particular game is discontinued for 1 Basho, it
will get "Kosho" status and full points will remain. After 2 Basho
in a row, all points earned in this game will be counted HALF.
After
3, the game will be removed from the SUPER BANZUKE System entirely,
until
and if it resumes.
In 2010, additional demerits were introduced, as some banzuke makers did not create their game banzuke in time, thereby
postponing the publication of the Superbanzuke. If a game banzuke is not made available before shonichi of a basho, the points
for the last available banzuke will be reduced by 20%. If this happens two times in a row, 40% will be deduced, and so on. If a banzuke is
published in time, the game will immediately count for 100% again.
Who makes
the SUPER
BANZUKE?
SUPER BANZUKE was conceived by
Jean-François
"Hoshifransu" Morgillo, who had the original idea to compile an overall
ranking for internet sumo gaming. Implementation of the SUPER
BANZUKE
was done by Maximilian T. H. "Zenjimoto" Suchy. Since 2006, the Superbanzuke is compiled by Juergen Buder (Randomitsuki).
But it is really YOU, the internet sumo gamers, who truly "make" the
Banzuke,
as it is wholly dependent on all your performances! All we do is
compile the information that is already out there.
How do you
calculate
it?
The points that a player receives for a game are based on three numbers:
Game Score = (base points + bonus points) * game factor
Base points range from 42 for the top player in a game banzuke, down to 1 point for the 42nd player on a ranking sheet.
Bonus points are awarded for players on sanyaku or comparable level (10 for a Yokozuna, 6 for an Ozeki, 4 for a Sekiwake, and 2 for a Komusubi).
These bonuses are awarded in all games that have no more than 12 sanyaku players.
If a game has more than 12 sanyaku, only the first 10 players receive bonuses, and the bonus points are assigned in a way that
at least 2 players receive the Komusubi-level bonus and at least 2 players receive the Sekiwake-level bonus.
For games with no sanyaku-level (GTB, Chaingang), the first four players in the ranking are treated as Ozeki, the next three
players as Sekiwake, and the players in 8th to 10th place as Komusubi.
The game factor is the square root of players on the game banzuke.
Game scores from each game are then added together to arrive at each player's
overall
SUPER BANZUKE points score.
Why do you
show the pictures of the Sanyaku above the Super Banzuke?
It is a special honor to the world's
top sumo gamers to be immortalized in this way. :)
Why don't I
show
up on the SUPER BANZUKE even though I play some of or one of the games?
or:
Why don't I get points for my participation in (insert game here)?
or:
I played well in (insert game here) last basho, but didn't get any
points
for it! (THE
MOST ASKED QUESTION(S) IN THE HISTORY OF THE SUPER BANZUKE!)
Only the top-42 (or Makuuchi,
if applicable) Rikishi of each game are assigned points for the SUPER
BANZUKE.
So if you want to be in it, make it your goal to reach the top-42 in at
least one of the games :) Usually that means, the Makuuchi
division. But
in some games, such as Hoshitori or UDH, you may be "Makuuchi" ranked
and
not receive points. You need to be in the top-42!
Why do you
only use
the top-42 of each game, and not assign points to every participant of
every game?
To keep the amount of data
manageable,
we opted for the top-42 concept (else, we may have about 400-500
different
Shikona to deal with!). Most world rankings work that way anyways
(where the top-X in tournaments earn ranking points, not ALL
participants)
- this way, it also becomes an extra goal and privilege to players to
be
featured in the top-42 or Makuuchi division of a game, 'cause that's
when
they start earning points for the SB!
What about
the games
which have a Banzuke where there are more than 42 "Makuuchi" ranks?
In such games (for example Hoshitori
and
the UDH), only the top-42 of the Banzuke are utilized.
Do the
usual "rules"
of Banzuke making apply to the SUPER BANZUKE?
Not really. Since we are not
dealing
with overall win-loss records to determine who goes where on the SB,
but
rather derive the ranking from accumulation of all earned points, the
Kachi-koshi/Make-koshi
promotion and demotion rules do not exist here. Rather, players
move
up and down the SB depending on their cumulative points totals from one
Basho to the next. So it is quite possible for an Ozeki
to fall back to Maegashira within just one basho, should their
performance
be poor enough in some of the games. Likewise, players may make
bigger
jumps upwards (such as from Maegashira to Ozeki) if they happen to have
an overall excellent gaming Basho. So, the usual conventions for
Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions/demotions/re-promotions do not really
exist
either, and of course a SUPER BANZUKE Yokozuna will never be expected
to
"retire" if he/she happens to be demoted from the rank.
Generally, the SB should always
feature
10 "Sanyaku" ranks - 2 Yokozuna, 4 Ozeki, 2 Sekiwake and 2 Komusubi, or
a variation thereof, depending on how close or far apart points totals
of the top rankers are to each other. The top-10 in the rankings
will be the 10 Sanyaku on the SB. The SB will be displayed in a
hybrid
format that shows the overall "World Ranking" as well as the
traditional
Banzuke rankings, for maximum edification for those who wish to follow
it.
What is the
purpose
of the SUPER BANZUKE?
FUN! And, we felt it was also
interesting
to see just how the greats of internet sumo gaming might measure up
against
each other when we combine all the games into one SUPER ranking.
But even then, hey, it's all about FUN, right? A good reason not
to take the SUPER BANZUKE too seriously :)
Certain
players only
play a few of the games - aren't they at a disadvantage?
Are they? Perhaps... Some are
"specialists", playing in fewer games, with less points earning
potential, but they may do
better in those few games they concentrate on. Compare it to the
Skiing
World Cup - you compete in more disciplines, you get more chances for
points
for the overall World Cup, right? So, no sweat, no glory.
And,
indeed, one of the not-so-secret hopes of the SBK is that most of the
top
players in the world will participate in most or all of the games in
the
future, trying hard to give themselves the maximum SB points earning
opportunities!
:) Merely playing many games, however,
does not guarantee a top spot - you also have to be GOOD at them! :)
I am using
different
Shikona in different games, and see them both/all listed separately in
the SUPER BANZUKE - can you combine them?
Sure, this is rather common, and has
already
been implemented for the ones we know of to date. You may notify
the SUPER BANZUKE KYOKAI (SBK), requesting the appropriate
arrangements,
listing which Shikona you use in what game. Just be aware that
the
SBK will be scanning for "double entries" in the same game, which may
be
cause for disqualification in some of these games! Generally, the
SBK STRONGLY endorses the "one Shikona (or entry) per game" approach -
if double entries are detected, the involved Shikona will remain on the
SUPER BANZUKE individually, and will not be combined!
Hopefully
this will eventually also serve as a bit of a deterrant not to make
double
entries.
There is no
nation
(or the wrong nation) listed by my Shikona!
We were making (un)educated guesses
in
some cases, and didn't even try to guess in others - input
welcome!
Contact email link is on the top menu!
Can I opt
out of the SUPER BANZUKE?
Sorry, but NO. People may or
may not have various reasons for not wanting to be on the SUPER
BANZUKE, but we can't get into the business of special treatments -
first of all, it will be extra work to keep track of who to include and
who not. Secondly, with people missing from the ranking, the
ranking itself becomes inaccurate. If you play sumo games and
rank appropriately high, you will also show up in the SUPER
BANZUKE.
What is the
SB MASTERS
SERIES?
The SUPER BANZUKE MASTERS SERIES is
"The Ultimate Internet Sumo Competition", combining all 19 SUPER
BANZUKE associated sumo games to determine a "Super Yusho" winner for
each Basho. Players earn points towards the SBMS by finishing in
the top-10 of any of the 19 games in that respective Basho.
Player who accmulates the most points will be the SB Masters Champion,
and receive the (cyber-) Green
Mawashi. To win the
Green Mawashi has
become the ultimate achievement in internet sumo gaming!
Please note: players'
performances in
the SB MASTERS will have no actual impact on their ranking on the SUPER
BANZUKE, or any of the individual games' banzuke, but separate SB
MASTERS rankings will be maintained, and an
overall SB SUMO GAMES
WORLD CHAMPION will be proclaimed at the end of each year!
More about the SB Masters Series can be found here.
What is the
SUPER BANZUKE Sumo Games World Championship?
The "Sumo Games World Championship"
takes all points earned by all players in the SBMS all year, and
combines them to find the year's top gamer, who will be proclaimed
"World Champion" and receive a pretty darn nice Chalice
cup/trophy! For more on the Sumo Games World Championship, visit its page.
Update: YES, people DID buy
kensho banners for 2004 - thank you, the cost of the Chalice was
covered! Hopefully these and other sponsors will again commit for
2005! :-)
Are you
crazy?
Yeah.
I found a
mistake!
Tell us! Contact email link is
on
the top menu!
What do you
think of
doing *this* or *that*? I think it would make the SUPER BANZUKE
or
SB MASTERS better...
Suggestions are always welcome, so
have
at it - but we can't guarantee that we'll like, or even implement them!
:)
