Sumo Game: News

Makuuchi Yusho:	M16 Konosato (10-5; 108 points)
Juryo Yusho:	J2 Sekihiryu (13-2; 105 points)
Makushita Yusho:	m46 Tragikomy (13-2; 105 points)
Gino-sho:	M16 Konosato (10-5; 108 points)
Kanto-sho:	M16 Konosato (10-5; 108 points)
Shukun-sho:	not awarded

by Takanotaki, 2011/12/3

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 15

The last tournament of 2011 is over, and hopefully the sumo world can look forward to 2012 with a fresh perspective after a horrible year of scandal. Surprisingly, we will have a fifth Ozeki after the Sumo Association decided to promote Kisenosato despite falling a win short of what was asked of him at the beginning of the Basho. In Sumo Game, we will have only two Ozeki to start the new year. Doitsuyama couldn't muster an eleventh win to return to the ranks of Yokozuna and will start over again to try and hit the required win percentage in January. Takahike II was unable to remove his kadoban label and will return to Sekiwake. If Takahike II manages to finish the Hatsu Basho with double digits or better, he will return to Ozeki. Ozeki Sokkenaiyama announced his retirement mid-basho and his fighting spirit will be missed. To be fair to the Ozeki, he decided to call it quits before he fell to his kachikoshi and still had a chance to turn things around before senshuraku.

The winner of the Makunouchi division was EM16 Konosato after an implosion in the leader board set up a five way play-off. Konosato's 108 points was good enough to win the tie break as well as the Ginosho and the Kantosho. In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu won the title with a three match lead over the rest of the field to finish at 13-2. In Makushita, Wm46 Tragikomy, at 13-2, won the yusho outright with a two match cushion.

Congratulations to all the winners! Be good, be safe, and have a nice holiday!

by Nushuzan, 2011/12/2

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 14

Going into the final day of the final tournament of 2011, the yusho of one of the divisions has already been decided but the other two are still up grabs.

In Makunouchi, Komusubi Panadaazuma, EM9 Mysko and EM16 Konosato are in the thick of the yusho hunt at 10-4. Should one of them win and the other two lose on senshuraku then the winner will get the title uncontested. However, should two or more of them win, then a playoff will determine the victor. Konosato is in the best shape to dominate any playoff with his 105 points. Pandaazuma has 101 points while Mysko at 95 would want to avoid a play-off at all costs. If all three of the leaders should lose, then Ozeki Doitsuyama, Sekiwake Chocshoporyu and WM10 Yumezukuri would enter the battle should they manage to pick up a tenth win.

In Juryo, EJ12 Sekihiryu sealed the deal on day 14 and wins the yusho based on an insurmountable win total.

In Makushita, Wm46 Tragikomy leads the pack going into the final day and would win the yusho outright should he improve to 13-2. A loss, however, would give Em1 Jakusotsu and Wm53 Nishinoumi a chance to join a play-off should they pick up win a twelfth win. Jakusotsu is in the best shape for a come from behind yusho with 105 points while Tragikomy and Nishinoumi have 103 and 101 points respectfully.

Good luck to all the contenders!

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/27

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 13

On day thirteen of the Kyushu Basho overall scoring for the day was at 8.11, just good enough to squeak into the top 25 list for highest scoring day. The achievement for the day saw a number players with a perfect ten, however, since there was a number of scores in the 4-7 point mark, the day's average wasn't as high as it might have been.

In Makunouchi, EM9 Mysko jumped back into sole lead briefly on day 12, but was defeated on day 13 to fall back into a pack of six co-leaders at 9-4. Ozeki Doitsuyama, one of the members in the lead group, is still looking for eleven wins to give him a chance to return to Yokozuna. Also at 9-4 are Sekiwake Chocshoporyu, Komusubi Pandaazuma, WM10 Yumezukuri and EM16 Konosato. Day 14 will see Chocshoporyu and Panadaazuma match up against each other in a bout with yusho implications.

In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu saw what once seemed as an insurmountable lead reduced to a single win as he dropped his second match in a row. As it stands now, Sekihiryu at 11-2 has EJ14 Derosa still very much in title contention with his 10-3 record. EJ6 Bill at 9-4 is also mathematically alive and could still be the spoiler.

In Makushita, Wm46 Tragikomy became the sole leader down the home stretch at 11-2. Wm1 Jakusotsu, Wm2 Andrasoyamawaka, Wm34 Hinomaru and Wm53 Nishinoumi are one match off the pace at 10-3.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/26

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 11

Day eleven of the Kyusho Basho saw Doitsuyama face off against Sekiwake Hokuro in a bout that would give Doitsuyama the victory and a share of the top spot on the leader board at 8-3. EM9 Mysko, EM11 Gibuten and EM16 Konosato were also victorious on the day to remain in the yusho hunt.

In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu extended his winning streak to 11 to maintain a three match lead over the rest of division. In Makushita, the number of co-leaders was trimmed to two as both Wm23 Yeditoshi and Wm46 tragikomy both notched their ninth win.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/24

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 10

At the two thirds mark of the Kyushu Basho 2011, two of the three divisions tightened up considerably while one of them could have a yusho champion before the final weekend.

In Makunouchi, both co-leaders EM9 Mysko and EM11 Gibuten fell to 7-3 allowing Yokozuna hopeful Doitsuyama, Sekiwake Hokuro and EM16 Konosato to throw their names into the hat for yusho contender. The highlight bout for day 11 will pit Doitsuyama into a direct confrontation with Hokuro with the winner in good shape to make a deep run for the title.

In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu has opened up a three match lead over the field and barring a total implosion during the remaining days seems destined to pick up the yusho. Sekiryu, who remains perfect, is in rarefied air having a ten match win streak to start a tournament and could become Sumo Games first zenshou yusho should his picks remain spot on.

In Makushita, newcomer Wm53 picked up his second kuroboshi of the tournament to fall to 8-2 and thus making that division much tighter giving Wm19 Kofuji, Wm23 Yeditoshi and Wm46 Tragikomy a second chance to climb back into contention.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/23

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 9

On day nine of the Kyushu Basho Makunouchi leader EM9 Mysko was handed his second loss of the tournament allowing EM11 Gibuten to claw into the co-leadership position with an identical 7-2 record. In Juryo, long time leader EJ2 Sekihiryu managed to strengthen his hold on the division by adding a two match cushion over EJ13 Maiku and EJ14 Derosa who are both at 7-2. In Makushita, Wm53 Nishinoumi became the sole leader of the division while improving his tournament record to 8-1.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/22

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 8

At Nakabi there was little movement in the leader boards in all three of the divisions. In Makunouchi, EM9 Mysko maintained his one match lead over the field while improving to 7-1. Ozeki Doitsuyama remained on target for promotion with a sixth win and is joined by Sekiwake Hokuro, Komusubi Pandaazuma and EM11 Gibuten in the runner up position. In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu becomes the first member to get his kachikoshi and still has a one match lead over EJ14 Derosa. In Makushita the four way lead for the top of the division was reduced to three as Wm23 Yeditoshi, Wm46 Tragikomy and Wm53 Nishinoumi continue to set the pace.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/21

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Day 7

At the ending of the first week of the Kyushu basho EM9 Mysko emerged as the sole leader of the Makunouchi division as his closest competitors all picked up their second kuroboshi of the tournament. Ozeki Doitsuyama, who is also at two losses, remains on track for a return to Yokozuna but still needs to put together a strong second week for a promotion. In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu remains the sole leader and is still perfect at 7-0 with EJ14 Derosa one match off the pace at 6-1. In Makushita, leader Em19 Kofuji was handed his first loss of the basho to fall to 6-1 and in now in a four way heat with Wm23 Yeditoshi, Wm46 Tragikomy and newcomer Wm53 Nishinoumi, also at 6-1.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/20

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Days 5 and 6

After six days of the Kyushu Basho 2011 scoring has been somewhat on the low side as players try to grasp the potential of so many new rikishi to the upper division and try to determine which of the Ozeki's will under-perform on the day. Scoring on day six was up at 7.49, however, with WM1 Norizo becoming the second player thus far to score a perfect 10 on the day.

In Makunouchi action, EM13 Leonishiki had sole leadership at day five but was defeated on day six to fall into a four way split at the top of the board. He is joined by Sekiwake Hokuro, EM9 Mysko and EM11 Gibuten. Kadoban Ozeki Takahike II is lurking in the background and is good shape to remove the black mark in his record book. New Ozeki Sokkennaiyama has struggled as late and is down to 2-4.

In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu is all alone at 6-0 with WJ3 Derakuho and EJ14 Derosa one match off the pace at 5-1. In Makushita, Em16 Kofuji is setting the pace and remains undefeated at 6-0. One loss down is a sizable group including new comer Wm53 Nishinoumi who not only became the first member to score a perfect 10 on the tournament but did in his debut match on shonichi.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/19

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Days 3 and 4

After four days of the Kyushu Basho the leader boards in all three of the divisions have started to take shape. In Makunouchi, Ozeki Takahike II, determined to remove the kadoban label by Nakabi, has gotten off to a fast start and remains perfect at 4-0 for a share of the lead. Also at 4-0 are EM4 Kamakiriyama and EM13 Leonishiki. In Juryo, EJ2 Sekihiryu, WJ3 Derakuho and EJ6 Bill are undefeated for co-leadership of the division. In Makushita, Em12 Haruibono, Em19 Kofuji and Em26 Aome jumped out in front of a division that rarely takes formation this early in the tournament.

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/17

Kyushu Basho 2011 - Days 1 and 2

Welcome to the Kyushu basho, the last tournament for 2011. In the off season, the sumo world was nearly blown apart by another scandal, this time by the Naruto Beya. A former member of the stable was making allegations that the Oyakata, former Yokozuna Takanosato, was hazing the wrestlers during practice and injecting the underweight Czech born Takanoyama with insulin a few years back to promote weight gain. The Sumo association was leading an investigation into the charges, however, Takonosato took ill and later died of respiratory failure while in the hospital. Depending on your perspective, Takanosato's death was either untimely or timely. Either way, the sumo world can ill afford yet another controversy.

In Sumo Game, we now have four Ozekis on the banzuke with promotion of Sokkenaiyama after the Aki Basho. Hopefully, one or more of them will step up and make a serious run for Yokozuna. This tournament Doitsuyama has the best shot to return to the highest rank should collect 11 or more wins. Recently promoted Ozeki Takahike II is kadoban this time around, but has gotten off to a strong start at 2-0.

A total of 140 members registered for the Kyushu tournament including a nice number of new comers at seven.

Good luck to all and have good tournament!

by Nushuzan, 2011/11/15