COMBINED ARMS LEAGUE

RATING SYSTEM

Introduction
There are numerous methods of ranking players, and this might be the best system.   Players are ranked according to their skill, not by the leapfrog system used by other ladders.  A player's skill is raised or lowered according to the skill of their opponents.

The Rating System

Players are ranked by skill.  But what is "skill"? The rating system is based on the chess skill rating system.  A player enters the ladder with a skill rating of 1000.
For each game a player plays, the skill of the gamers are compared.
If your skill is much higher than your opponent, your opponent is theoretically not as good a player as you are and therefore should be easy to beat.  You will not increase your skill rating much for beating "easy" players, however, you will lose a great deal if you lose.
If your skill is much lower than your opponent, your opponent is theoretically a better player than you are and should be difficult to beat.  If you do, your skill will be raised greatly because you have proven yourself to be better than your skill reflected.
Ratings are always in a constant battle to asses your true level of skill.  For every game you play, your skill is adjusted accordingly, reflecting a closer assessment of your real abilities.

You start out with a 1000 rating points.  Your rating floor will usually be about -200 approximately of your highest rating achieved.

Reason

Why a skill rating system over the popular "leapfrog" system? It is to combat the main problems of the "leapfrog" system.

First, regardless of a players rank, it is still beneficial to play them, if you win, you will receive additional skill regardless of their rank. Playing a player of lower rank on the "leapfrog" system will gain you nothing.

Second, "lineups" to play high ranking players are not formed, since you don't need to play the #1 person to become #1. Also, the #1 player cannot just hold his/her rank by refusing to play as is the case on leapfrog systems.

Rating Class

There are four established rated groups, Class 1 Up to 999 , Class 2 1000 to 1199 , Class 3 1200 to 1399 , Class 4 1400 and up .

The defeated reports his/her loss or draw.   The outcome will depend upon both players existing pre-report rating.

Last Updated

04/29/01