Shogi Ladder Rules, last modified 13 March, 2001.
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1) All Ladder games will be conducted in an electronic mail format, with
the "regulation" Shogi-L board (available from the SHOGI-L archive) or in a format which both players agree to. Each player is required to make 10 moves within 30 days. Both players are required to log the time used so far and the time still available. Your might also consider to use Richard's PBeM-server which logs the moves and provides you with an ASCII-board automagically. Of absence for some reason the opponents and the Shogi Ladder Coordinator should be informed.

2) The ladder is sorted according to the Correspondence Shogi Rating. For players with an ELO rating, this will be the ELO number. Players with a grade, but no ELO rating, receive the ELO of the weakest player with the same grade and an ELO -1. If nobody with an ELO has the same grade, the ELO of the weakest player -50 of the next higher grade will be assigned. This way the initial sorting is ELO first, then grade. New players w.o. any rating get an initial CSR of 400. Please tell the Coordinator if any other rating of yours (you might have a Shogidojo rating, for instance) is to be taken into account. Taking into account other ratings into the first CSR is the decision of the Shogi Ladder Coordinator.

3) Each player can decide how many games they can play simultaneously. The default is 3. As long as the maximum number of games is bigger than the number of games already being played, challenges cannot be declined. Each player always has at least one opponent and must start at least one new game every 6 months. Games dragging on for more than 12 months are not counted among the games running (but are still evaluated when eventually finished).

4) Handicaps can be given if both players wish to do so. The evaluation of a handicap game differs according to the handicap and the rating difference.

5) A finished game will be evaluated according to the formula used for ELO ratings. Handicap games will be evaluated after adjusting the CSR ratings of the players according to the handicap. The following rating differences are taken into account (preliminary):

L	100
B	250
R	350
R+L	450
2p	550
4p	750
5p (right)	1000
6p	1250

That means, if a player with a rating of 2000 plays against a player with a rating of 1500 at a Rook handicap, it will be evaluated for him, as if he had played an even game against an opponent with a rating of 1500 + 350 = 1850, for his opponent as if he had played against an opponent with a rating of 2000 - 350 = 1650.

6) Any disputes will be mediated by the Ladder Coordinator unless the coordinator is involved into the dispute, with input from the list if the coordinator so desires. Any decisions by the coordinator are final, however. If the Ladder Coordinator is involved into the dispute, input from the list is mandatory.

7) These rules may be modified by a majority of votes by the ladder players
or as the Ladder Coordinator sees fit.

Taken from the Chess Ladder rules, with thanks to Peter Bereolos.
Edited by Chris Sterritt, co-owner Shogi-L list. Almost completely rewritten by E.Werner, former Shogi Ladder Coordinator.

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