RESULTS: GUSUKU BOWL II: TROY VS SAITOH (10/14/2024)

Nestled along the pristine shores of Okinawa, the Blue Ocean Arena provided a breathtaking backdrop for Gusuku Bowl II. The arena itself, a modern architectural marvel with a retractable roof, allowed the nearly 5,000 fans to enjoy the salty breeze and serene views of the Okinawan coastline while eagerly awaiting the intense chessboxing action inside the ring. Palm trees swayed gently under the bright sun, and a festive atmosphere buzzed around the island, with many of the spectators being chess players who’d traveled from all over Japan and beyond for this prestigious event. There were many chess matches occurring at this event so that players could improve their Elo and rankings, but the primary action would be the main event in which "Checkmate" David Troy - the winner of the first Gusuku Bowl - would attempt to become a back-to-back champion versus "Renaissance Man" Rhythm Saitoh. Among the chess enthusiasts was a small but passionate contingent of pro-wrestling fans, eager to see how competitors like David Troy and Rhythm Saitoh would fare in the unique hybrid sport.


Chess Rules: NEXUS vs. ShogiMind Pro Version 4.3

The first match of the day featured NEXUS, the cybernetic wrestler known for his artificial intelligence, squaring off against ShogiMind Pro Version 4.3, a chess program developed by the Japan Chessboxing League to teach and challenge both beginners and experienced players. Although NEXUS had never played chess before, the match served as a test of his AI capabilities in learning and adapting to the game in real-time. ShogiMind, a respected opponent in chess circles, was renowned for its strong tactical play and well-calculated strategies.

As the rapid chess match began, it quickly became apparent that NEXUS's AI was learning at an exponential rate. After a slow opening where ShogiMind quickly gained the upper hand, NEXUS began to make rapid adjustments, leveraging his computational processing power to match the program’s advanced tactics. The crowd watched in awe as NEXUS, who seemed out of his depth initially, made a surprising mid-game turnaround by sacrificing material for positional advantage, which overwhelmed the rigid programming of ShogiMind.


Gusuku Bowl II - Chessboxing Rules: David Troy (c) vs. Rhythm Saitoh

The main event of Gusuku Bowl II was a highly anticipated chessboxing showdown between defending champion David Troy (Elo estimated 1800) and the enigmatic jazz-rocker turned fighter, Rhythm Saitoh. With Troy having secured the inaugural Gusuku Bowl last year, he entered the match with a reputation as a formidable boxer, but Saitoh’s superior chess skills (Elo 2250) cast an air of uncertainty over the outcome.

The match began with the chess round, and immediately, Saitoh took control. Playing with his usual precision and flair, Saitoh opened with a King’s Indian Attack, a highly flexible and complex system that allows for both defensive and offensive options. Troy, rated around 1800 Elo, found himself on the backfoot, struggling to keep up with Saitoh’s sophisticated strategy. Within the first few moves, Saitoh had already gained a significant material advantage by capturing one of Troy's central pawns. However, aware of his disadvantage in chess, Troy played an aggressive, risk-taking style, hoping to disrupt Saitoh’s momentum with bold, unorthodox moves. The crowd leaned forward in their seats as Saitoh methodically neutralized Troy’s risky tactics, finishing the first chess round in a dominant position.

As the bell rang to signal the transition to boxing, the momentum shifted dramatically. Troy, known for his world-class Muay Thai background, unleashed a barrage of punches, testing Saitoh’s defensive capabilities. Despite the weight of Troy’s punches, Saitoh managed to stay elusive, utilizing his athleticism and agility to keep Troy from landing any knockout blows. However, by the end of the first boxing round, it was clear that Saitoh was tiring from the relentless pressure.

Returning to the chessboard, Saitoh composed himself and quickly resumed his calculated attack. With an extra rook in play, he had Troy on the verge of checkmate within minutes, but Troy, desperate to stay alive, continued to use his aggressive style, sacrificing pieces in an attempt to complicate Saitoh's game. Saitoh, unphased by the chaos, continued to chip away at Troy’s defenses, but with no knockout or checkmate in sight, the round ended, and the two men returned to the ring for another brutal boxing round.

By now, Troy was swinging for the fences. He landed several stiff jabs and hooks, staggering Saitoh, who did his best to weather the storm. A hard right hook from Troy almost sent Saitoh to the canvas, but the jazz-inspired fighter managed to clinch and buy himself enough time to recover. Despite being rattled, Saitoh’s defensive game kept him in the fight, frustrating Troy, who was clearly looking to end the match with a TKO. As the second boxing round ended, both men were visibly fatigued, with Saitoh now sporting a welt above his left eye and Troy gasping for breath.

The next chess round was a tense affair. Saitoh, despite his exhaustion, remained calm and composed, using his superior position to inch closer to a checkmate. Troy, fully aware that his chess skills could not match Saitoh’s, played with desperation, but it was too little, too late. After a few more moves, one of Saitoh's pawns would make it across the board and become promoted to queen. With two queens now on the board, Saitoh with just a few seconds left in Round 5 delivered the finishing blow—checkmate. The crowd erupted as Saitoh, bloody but triumphant, stood up from the chessboard, victorious in Gusuku Bowl II.

Despite the loss, David Troy graciously congratulated Saitoh after the match, acknowledging his opponent’s superior chess game. Troy addressed the fans saying that his chessboxing resume had come about rather unexpectedly and that no one had expected him to win the Gusuku Bowl last year, least of all himself. In his older years, as he appreciated the importance of intellect in his fighting, playing chess had made him a stronger competitor in everything he did and he would be happy to return to the Japan Chessboxing League again one day. Saitoh, bruised but beaming, took the microphone and humbly thanked the crowd for their support, and bowed to Troy and then all of the fans. He expressed gratitude at what an honor it was to compete for the good people of Okinawa and all of Japan and how growing up he would play chess in between practices of other sports, such as kendo, basketball, and his schools's jazz band. He was proud to add his list to the name of chess champions and promised to use his chess back in the pro-wrestling ring as the JCB's official MAX-J sponsor.