The Disqualification of Horiuchi

[gartheee]

First of all, yeah, WOW!

Second of all, yes I dislike Horiuchi's style of play based only the one time I played against him in Special League (4 games), and what I read about his play when he won Champion's League a few years ago, which because of seeding got him...oh wait, that's a different rant. Anyway, mine is obviously a limited sample and he may have changed his playing style, he may only have been playing that way there when I happened to be looking, or it may never have really been the way he plays and he just happened to make some mistakes when I was looking. Anyway I find it hard to call what he plays "digital." I think of his play more like a poker player who simply pushes all-in every single hand. He chi's and pon's whenever he can, regardless of whether he has any hand point. Sure it's hard to play against at first because it looks he must have something, but once you realize that there is no method to his madness it becomes very easy because now you can simply ignore him. Sure he'll wake up with a hand once in a while, and it will be frustrating to be the one throwing to him that time, but you will profit far more over all by not paying attention to him at all. Just play the game, stick to your game, and I believe you will come out ahead in the end.

Thirdly then, them's the rules! For example, a look at JPML's own rules page shows detailed explanations of how to start the game, how to score, how to determine dora, who takes responsibility if someone wins on the extra draw after konging a discard, etc etc. NOWHERE in JPML's rules page is there any mention of "shamisen." For an infraction worthy of disqualification from the entire tournament (and one year league suspension!), one would imagine that there would be a rule specifically addressing a foul that egregious. There is none. One would also imagine that such an egregious foul would be noticed immediately and call for immediate action. However, play simply continued and then an announcement came the next day.

I agree his style is annoying to play against and I don't find it interesting to watch. It's like watching Italy win soccer games by simply fouling anybody who gets close to the goal (or calling their mothers racial epithets) and then winning on penalty kicks. Well they did play within the rules. The honorable thing to do is congratulate them on their win, try to figure out how to beat them next time, and perhaps consider rewriting the rules if someone managed to pull off something awful that had not previously been addressed. Horiuchi has found a way to play within the rules that is very effective against a lot of players. There is no honor in going back after the fact to pick apart his actions and make up a rule to apply retroactively so that he didn't win.

Finally, if a bow and an apology is not enough for Horiuchi to get out of his mistake, then it certainly shouldn't be enough for the officials either. If his infraction was truly worthy of the eventual punishment yet the officials let another game be played, certainly those officials made an officiating mistake at least as egregious as his playing. At the very least, all officials involved should also be banned from officiating any tournaments for the same period. Perhaps they could take the time to write clearer rules and actually learn how to officiate.

[Ozball]

It's like watching Italy win soccer games by simply fouling anybody who gets close to the goal (or calling their mothers racial epithets) and then winning on penalty kicks. Well they did play within the rules. The honorable thing to do is congratulate them on their win, try to figure out how to beat them next time, and perhaps consider rewriting the rules if someone managed to pull off something awful that had not previously been addressed.

Holy crap! A wild Garthe appeared! *Ozball uses a Master Ball! But it failed* D'awww....

Also I love this analogy.

Who were the actual officials in this case that screwed up? And is there any actual chance of them being punished over it?

[Shirluban]

Who were the actual officials in this case that screwed up? And is there any actual chance of them being punished over it?

It's hard to punish officials for not enforcing a nonexistent rule...
But if JPML manages to punish players for not complying with a nonexistent rule, who knows?

[Kyuu]

Thirdly then, them's the rules! For example, a look at JPML's own rules page shows detailed explanations of how to start the game, how to score, how to determine dora, who takes responsibility if someone wins on the extra draw after konging a discard, etc etc. NOWHERE in JPML's rules page is there any mention of "shamisen." For an infraction worthy of disqualification from the entire tournament (and one year league suspension!), one would imagine that there would be a rule specifically addressing a foul that egregious. There is none. One would also imagine that such an egregious foul would be noticed immediately and call for immediate action. However, play simply continued and then an announcement came the next day.

Oh so unforgiving. So, the incurred penalty and reprimand was not even written in the rules? Oh yea, that'll make JPML look even better...

Penalties imposed based on unwritten rules is a matter of injustice. Something like that does not look good for an organization. That being said. Since it is not even in the rules, then the best JPML can really do is impose a warning. After that, JPML puts in the appropriate shamisen rules in place; and then, they can apply whatever necessary punishment to said infraction, if it occurs again - by anyone.

It's like watching Italy win soccer games by simply fouling anybody who gets close to the goal (or calling their mothers racial epithets) and then winning on penalty kicks. Well they did play within the rules. The honorable thing to do is congratulate them on their win, try to figure out how to beat them next time, and perhaps consider rewriting the rules if someone managed to pull off something awful that had not previously been addressed.

Try the 2010 World Cup quarterfinal of Ghana vs Uruguay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgHhYgQnCPg

What Suarez did in that game - yea - it was heinous; but it was not cheating. The process that handled the situation was all within the written rules. Suarez handballs in the penalty area. That is warranted a red card and a penalty kick opportunity. Done. Rules enforced.

Had that PK been converted into a game winning goal - it would have been end of discussion there.