In this tournament, the best eight pairs or the quarterfinalists will be decided according to the results of the first and second round games on the first day. The four pairs which win both the first and second round games will advance to the quarterfinals without any conditions. On the other hand, the pairs which lose both games will be eliminated from the tournament. Our question is how to select the other four pairs who will advance to the quarterfinals from the pairs winning one game and losing one game.

Until two years ago, the pairs which won one game and lost one game played the third game to be eligible for the quarterfinals. However, playing three games a day was physically tough for pro players as well as time-consuming. Last year, therefore, a new rule was adopted, under which the four pairs which were older in terms of the combined age of the paired players advanced to the quarterfinals.

This rule has been reversed this year to offset last year's unfairness. That is, the four younger pairs are to advance to the quarterfinals. However, some people have the opinion that eligibility should not be decided by the players' ages. I hear that several new ideas have been proposed for next year onward. For example, the use of nine by nine boards for the third games is being considered because the small board games do not require much time.

The lot drawing began. For the players absent, Ricoh Cup staff members drew lots.

While the players were paired one after another according to the results of the drawing, some players sighed or lightly clapped their hands.

The player who stirred the people in the room was 9-dan Mr. Hideo Otake. Before drawing the lot, he declared, "I know I will be paired with Ms. Sugiuchi. I am sure!" To our surprise, he really drew the lot to pair with Ms. Sugiuchi and said, "Look! I told you so!" The pair of Mr. Otake and Ms. Sugiuchi is the oldest. They have to win both the first and second round games to advance to the quarterfinals. This fact may stimulate the eagerness of this pair.

When all the pairs were decided, Mr. Otake began to forecast the winners, as he did in previous years. He said, "Everybody would agree that the top favorite is the pair of Ms. Izumi Kobayashi and Mr. Keigo Yamashita. This pair excels all of us because it is made of two excellent players. The second favorite is the pair of Ms. Tomoko Kato and Mr. Shikun Ryu, followed by the pair of Ms. Keiko Kato and Mr. Koichi Kobayashi. It's certain!" At the moment, someone pointed out, "His forecast turns out to be false every year." It was the voice of Mr. Hamada, Chairman of Ricoh Co., Ltd.