Japanese Timing/ Discussion

Bob Myers:

The main page states:

• players get a number of time periods of same size (typically each one minute)
• time used for one move only draws as much periods as fit into it (possibly none)
• byoyomi is done when a player's number of periods is equal or less than a specified number (typically 10)

This has got to be the most opaque explanation of Japanese time/timing/time system that I've ever seen. I'm not a time maven and am not confident in my ability to rewrite it, but someone should.

On a related (?) note, at a recent tournament we were using (ahem) "byoyomi" time. We had these Ing clocks which we set to the "Japanese" time style and gave ourselves 45 minutes "main time" and four 45-seconds "overtime" periods. Gosh, I just used nearly half a dozen strongly deprecated terms in a single sentence. My question is, what "time system" were we using? More basically, where in these pages could someone go to easily understand that real-life time system and correlate the terms used to describe it with the terms used used in SL?

Robert Pauli:

Bob, the long version is below the short one. If the short one isn't wrong, what's the problem?

You were using a combined time system:

Absolute Timing follwed by Japanese Timing.

The first managed main time, the second overtime. The organizers could have specified it as

• Maintime (1st main life): 45 minutes (absolute timing)
• Overtime (2nd main life): one stone in 45 seconds, four (sub) lifes (Japanese timing)

Nobody minds if anyone puts it as

• 45 minutes main time plus
• four times 45 seconds "Japanese Byoyomi"

but if you step back and look at "Japanese Byoyomi" -- it's a bit funny, not?

Chris Hayashida: What happened to the original definition of a byouyomi period? I think I learned how it worked off of Sensei's, so at least one definition was clear. Maybe Byoyomi and Overtime Period can be aliased to a separate page, and just explain how the mechanics of the overtime periods?

I think most people look up byouyomi for two reasons: 1) to play on Go servers, and 2) to play in tournaments. What happens in the Meijin is good to know, but I think it's best left as a footnote on the Japanese Time System page.

Robert Pauli: I now mention byoyomi periods on byoyomi. However, again I'm strict: only those under byoyomi.