[Laqswrnm]

I sometimes think that the ability to add up is one of the most important qualities in a good team shiai player.


Senpoh

Starting scenario.

0/0 - Even. No need to consider what the score is because it will always be the same. Doesn't require any ability to adapt to different situations.

Possible outcomes

1/0 Slight advantage

0/1 Slight defecit

0/0 Even (depends on honsuh)

Winning situations 0
Losing situations 0

Setting the tone of the shiai is almost as important as winning. If you lose but play well you can still lift the rest of the team.

Jihoh

Starting scenarios

1/0 - slight advantage

0/1 - slight disadvantage

0/0 - even (depends on honsuh)

Possible outcomes

2/0 - strong advantage

0/2 - strong disadvantage

1/0 - advantage

0/1 - disadvantage

1/1 or 0/0 - even (depends on honsuh)

Winning situations - 0
Losing situations - 0

Less pressure to set the tone than jihoh. "Solid worker" type position.

Chuken

Starting scenarios

2/0 - strong advantage (can decide victory)

0/2 - strong disadvantage (must not lose)

1/0 - advantage

0/1 - disadvantage

1/1 or 0/0 - even (depends on honsuh)

Possible outcomes

3/0 - Win

2/1 - advantage

1/2 - disadvantage

0/3 - Loss

2/0 - strong advantage

0/2 - strong disadvantage

1/0 - advantage

0/1 - disadvantage

1/1 or 0/0 - even (depends on honsuh)

decide win situations - 1
decide loss situations -1

Can be very important as this is the first position where victory can be decided. There is never the luxury of having already won.

Fukushoh

Starting scenarios

3/0 - Win (playing for fun?)

0/3 - Loss (playing for pride)

2/1 - advantage (can decide victory)

1/2 - disadvantage (must not lose)

2/0 - strong advantage (can decide victory)

0/2 - strong disadvantage (must not lose)

1/0 - advantage (can decide victory)

0/1 - disadvantage (must not lose)

1/1 or 0/0 - even (depends on honsuh)

Possible outcomes

4/0 - win

3/1 - win

1/3 - loss

0/4 - loss

3/0 - win

2/1 - strong advantage

1/2 - strong disadvantage

0/3 - loss

2/0 - win

0/2 - loss

1/0 - strong advantage

0/1 - strong disadvantage

0/0 2/2 1/1 - even (depends on honsuh)

Win situations - 4
Lose situations - 4

decide win situations - 3
decide loss situations -3

Many different meaningful possibilities so you need to be able to count as Kirin-san pointed out.

Interestingly there are more situations where you will be called on to decide victory or loss than for taisho

Taishoh

Starting scenarios

4/0 - win

3/1 - win

1/3 - loss

0/4 - loss

3/0 - win

2/1 - Strong advantage (can decide outcome)

1/2 - strong disadvantage (must not lose)

0/3 - loss

2/0 - win

0/2 - loss

1/0 - strong advantage (can decide victory)

0/1 - strong disadvantage (must not lose)

0/0 2/2 1/1 - even (depends on honsuh - can decide victory or loss)

Possible outcomes

5/0 - win

4/1 - win

3/2 - win

2/3 - loss

1/4 - loss

0/5 - loss

4/0 - win

3/1 - win

1/3 - loss

0/4 - loss

3/0 - win

2/1 - win

1/2 - loss

0/3 - loss

2/0 - win

0/2 - loss

1/0 - win

0/1 - loss

0/0 1/1 2/2 - even (win or loss depending on honsuh, or -> daihyoh-sen if even)

Win situations - 9
Loss situations - 9

Decide win - 2
Decide loss - 2

Funnily enough, on the face of it as taishoh the chances are that the result will already have been decided by the time you have to compete. The pressure is intense though if you have do either play for victory or to avoid defeat.

Daihyou

Starting scenario - even

Possible outcomes - win or loss

MUST WIN

Note that the daihyoh is not necessarily the taishoh. In the case of this year's Australian Championships the Queensland Taishoh was a relatively weak player. When the match went to Daihyou-sen Chuken was the natural choice.