http://www.littlegolem.net/jsp/tournament/tournament.jsp?trnid=amzn.ch.4.2.2

When I finished all my games I tried to figure out what I needed the other players to for me to finish top 2. This is _not_ one of the possibilities I considered! :-)

I didn't check the other groups, but the next championship might end up being:

1 and #2 from top league

1 and #2 from first level 2 league

1-5 from second level 2 league!

Sorry to #3-9 in the top league! :-)

I believe positions 3 through 5 are guaranteed not to drop. That means the 1st league could have more than 9 players.

Ok here's what the FAQ has to say on the matter:

“The first 2 of each league advance to a better league in the next tournament. Since draws can occur, it might be possible that more players advance. The first 3 of a league are always certain to maintain (if not advance) their place. Normally up to 5th place is pretty sure.”

So I think the next championship will be:

Top league #1,2,3 = jymon, Craig Reilly, Jaroslav Zisek

First level 2 league #1,2 = Jose Ribas, mirror_man

Second level 2 league #1-5 = klaashaas, ypercube, Andy Olsen, Benjamin C Good, Robin

For a total of 10 players. Glad to see Richard has clearly spelled out in the rules what will happen in this situation! :-)

Richard changed it some and explained it in a forum thread not long ago.

First, all of the players in the top 10 rating list go into the ast group. Then, at all levels, the top 5 don't drop, the top 2 do move up. If a group has fewer than 9, (because of dropouts or whatever) then more players who finished worse than 2nd are taken up from below.

What he didn't say is, if a group still has fewer than 9, which happens first – not dropping the players who finished badly, or brining up players from more than one level below.

I understood, the top10 players who never have been in the first league start there, other top10 players have to earn it!

Well, I left out a part for simplicity. If you've been in the 1st group then, yes, you don't get an automatic berth by being in the top-10.

But there are not two separate top-10 lists. There's one list and anyone on it who's never been in the top group gets an automatic berth.

Looks like there is going to be another tie in 2nd league to make the next 1st league >9 players. Assuming ypercube wins his last game in 10.2.1, I will be tied with klaashaas for 2nd.

Here is what I think the 11th championship will look like:

From 10.1.1:

1. p_a_k_o

2. Tobias

3. Michael Engels

4. Jose Ma Grau Ribas

5. Orbilin

From 10.2.1:

1. miuek

2. klaashaas

2. Andy Olsen

From 10.2.2:

1. JJ Flash

2. Bela Nagy

Now come on ypercube, don't let me down! :-)

My win in the last game is sure from some time ago. What you should thank me for, is the win against klaashas. I needed it to stay at 2nd level and I'm glad it helps someone to go to the 1st!

Andy, don't forget that you might be up to 12 people at the next championship because currently at Top-10 are also caronte from Italy (having just won a 3rd level championship tourn.) and Tim Slih from USA (having never played in any championship tourn.)

SHIH

Yes, sorry Tim Shih. It's too bad that there isn't an edit (and preview) post feature.

But you have been calling him Slih since he started playing here…:-)

Yes, I have. :(

And once - or twice - you make a mistake, it makes a habbit.

I used to read this Amazons forum frequently. But for a while the forum had been dormant. So I started not paying attention. And oops, what do you know, my last name became a topic one day. What an honor! :)

Anyway, I am here to say hi, and to wish all the contestants in the forthcoming championship interesting games.