ARA Meeting 1/27/2025

ARA Meeting Agenda

January 27, 2025

Board members in attendance: Dave B, Edwin Dizon (ARML), Laura King, Steve A (MI/MA), Harrison Corp, Luke, Max Suddendorf, Nathanael Kozinski, Kyuu (CAM)

Open Session

Executive Board News

  • Presentations of the candidates for the open board seats

  • Whale: Prioritizing getting ARA organized into an entity

    Tamas: Rating system and goals. US Citizen but representing Hungary but also going to live in Japan for 6 months.

    Brendan (halorien): Founded the Yakumen from Chicago. Ran last time. Serving as an ambassador for the game.

    Jenn: Been playing mahjong professionally in Japan for 18 years. English content creation. Important for the US to have autonomous body. Would like to be in a central position to provide an advisory role. Visited Comic con twice and would like to expand such activities. Published a book this last year.

2028 WRC Cycle Format

  • Motion to create a system for the entire US that’s separate from WRC.

  • DC would like feedback on ARA approval

2025 Invitational

  • No observer report yet. Other next steps unknown at the moment.

Working Group Updates

Tech

  • arariichi.org all tournament results are in except invitational. Club details are not filled out. Now is a good time to look at it. Thanks to Laura, Tamas, Nathaniel and others who got the database online.

  • 251 unique profiles but 81 not accepted

Outreach

Rules and Judging

  • Unsure when modified ruleset is going live. 

  • All of the changes are getting put in. Mods document is going away. WRC ruleset is turning into WRC and WRC-R. Lower penalties is going straight into the ruleset as an option.

Education and Resources

  • Skeleton of creating your own club. Away 3 of the 4 weeks. Will be back soon. Will be ready to go by next meeting. Looking for helpers and still writing a bunch of copy, etc.

  • Tournament in a box is good to go

  • Pairings software is also good to go.

Professional Organizations

  • WRC pro: 3/1 & 3/2 in 3 locations - sign up today!

  • Luke - Saikouisen Fest two weeks ago. Plan on it every year. Next test is coming up next June in LA. Pro ama league which gives seeded spot into ryuousen USA.

ARML

  • First couple rounds went well of this season

Closed Session

Feedback on ARA Invitational:

  • ¼ of players mathematically eliminated day 3

  • People like the term swiss

  • People would be more okay having duplicate pairings

  • Enjoyed set play in general

  • What other way do we have to get feedback about this format?

  • We should send a tournament feedback form.

Next meeting 2/24 6 pm Pacific 9 pm Eastern