Looking Ahead

While there are still three games to finish, most of the 
participants in the semis are determined (barring players deciding 
not to play on).

The Top Ten teams (current standings) are well represented, 
accounting for 24 players currently or nearly half the field.  
(Note:  one of these will almost certainly fall out as a result of 
Game 218, but that is still 23 out of 49.)

The leading teams are The Riders of the Storm (#2) and Schichi-
Fukujin (#3), each currently with four players in the top 49.  One 
team or the other will likely lose a player due to Game 218 while S-
F has a small chance at gaining a player in Game 206.  My prediction 
though is seven players between these two teams.

Two other teams have three players each in the top 49, namely the 
Seven Samuri (#5) and the Knights who Say Ni (#9).

Every Top Ten team has at least one player scheduled for the semis.

The Second Ten are also decently represented.  Those ten teams have 
14 players in the semis, with every team but one represented.  
pangalactic gargleblaster (#15) has the unfortunate designation as 
the top team with no semi-finalists.  (Technically, one of their 
players is still alive in Game 205, but that's a longshot.)  The 
Second Ten will likely add one to their number from Game 218.

The Third Ten have sparse representation with only 6 players from 
the ten teams, no more than one apiece.

There are 5 semi-finalists who come from teams below the Top Thirty, 
the lowest from Diplomatic Despots (#42).

Still, the teams are about to lose their importance as the 
individual portion of the tournament takes center stage.