Sekitori-Oracle-Banzuke Natsu-Basho 2008

[Heikotoriki]

http://www.anasuya.com/oracle/banzuke.html

Zenjimoto's ozeki run unfortunately ended with a 5-10 sending him back to square one (or rather, square M3e). Yusho winner Ulsimitsuki is the one to watch for next basho. He has had only 20 wins in his last two tournaments (8-7 followed by 12-3), but given the relatively static ozeki situation during the last few years and his run of consistency (9-6, 8-7, 10-5, 8-7, 12-3 all at komusubi) the banzuke council may be inclined to promote him with 11 wins in Natsu basho. Doitsuyama may also have another shot at promotion, but likely only with a yusho-quality performance (recent records in sanyaku: 11-4, 11-4, 9-6 [narrowly missed promotion], 8-7, 9-6, 10-5). Choshu-yuki makes her sanyaku debut as the only promotee to komusubi this basho.

Somewhat unusually for Oracle, the makuuchi banzuke was very pleasant to create this time with basically no crunches or empty areas. Six players earned promotion to makuuchi, with returns for Ketsukai, Heikotoriki (after 14 basho in juryo), Mabunkiyo, Takanokaze and Mmikasazuma (with a bit of luck, making up for her bad luck in Quad), and a debut for Kyokuhagyo (seven straight KK since game debut!).

For those still in juryo, kachi-koshi generally resulted in generous promotions this time. Getting promoted to juryo has turned into somewhat less of an achievement with only 11 ranks remaining in makushita (and the lower two divisions might still get combined for scoring purposes soon), but for the sake of completeness, this basho's juryo promotees are Watase, Holleshoryu and Kitano, all returning to sekitori status.