I know I stated in another thread my skill level is so low I need basic training, but still, I'd like to share my personal experience with button layouts on a stick...
I've come to a conclusion that
---------


is the layout I'm most comfortable with in NeoGeo and UM KOFs
---------

(

)

is what I'm most comfortable with in all post-NeoGeo KOFs, because they require you to press

and

frequently -

only in XII-, something I do more consistently with consecutive fingers than with alternate fingers. I hit

and

with my whole index and my whole middle respectively, I got inspired by a Street Fighter tutorial I saw some days ago.
---------
In a nutshell, I feel at ease with whatever layout SNKP suggests in the system page in the official arcade version site for each game. It's like SNKP changed the default arcade layout post-NeoGeo according to the need to press those button couples.
A borderline exception is Neowave: it's my least played KOF because I only got curious about it just before my PS2 started having disc tray issues, so I still don't have a layout of choice, but taking a look the system page I found out there's no system involving

and

, so I think any button layout should be fine.
I know you can configure macros, but I'm training to do without them in case I ever find myself in a situation where I can't use them, such as playing on an actual cabinet or attending offline tournaments (there are players out there who mock you as a cheater if you use a stick and configure button macros, just because they aren't available on the original arcade machine).