Re: Hastings


"Chess One" <OneChess@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"David Kane" <davidekane@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Chess One" <OneChess@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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This notice: SP

Malcolm Pein begins his column: "Simon Williams has qualified as England's
latest Grandmaster after a short draw with the top seed Vadim Malakhatko in
round eight of the Hastings Masters. The result ensured that Williams'
rating exceeded 2500 and as he has secured three qualifying results in
tournaments there is no impediment to the award of the GM title although it
is subject to ratification by the Fide Qualification Committee."

A real world illustration of why it is wrong to rate draws.

While I understand you general reservations on draws relating to Elo - I would
be a bit miffed if, in another example, I had struggled against a much higher
rated opponent, drew, but failed to achieve any rating benefit from it.

You would be miffed only because of your expectations.


Titles should be earned in contest - not given by higher rated players
who don't feel like playing.

It is most unfortunate for the young player to score his third norm this way -
the Hasting correspondent also thought it atrocious that short-draws should be
offered by paid-participants. I even wonder if the Fide ratings commission
will accept this result?!!

Short draws are the inevitable output of an incentive system that
rewards them!


Anyway - this is to depart from mathematic basis for /ratings/.


Allowing people to manipulate their ratings by playing
pseudo-games has nothing to do with mathematics.


Of course, this is not to fault the
individuals in the above example who are merely gaming a flawed
system. But the flaws need to be addressed.

I agree. Not the fault of the norm-seeker, certainly - the other guy is as at
fault as the organisers for permitting it. Its tough to solve.


Both players are equally at fault if you believe that players are
supposed to be oblivious to their tournament/reward incentives and
play to win every game. But the real blame lies with people who
designed a tournament making this behavior optimal.


I see another GM has suggested that the situation could be remedied by not
allowing draw offers at all - but I am not so convinced of that. I prefer my
own idea <wink> of rewarding the draw with less than 50% of the score for
winning.

Again this is not to address the rating aspect of it. Andy Walker wrote here
about a week ago to mention an alternate to ELO, which was easier to calculate
[no calculator] though I am unsure if that system is superior to address these
scoring and rating factors mentioned in this post - I think it is a third
aspect of the issue.

The differences had nothing to do with this point. One of the problems is
that mathematicians cling to the foolish belief that ratings are some kind of
impartial scientific measurement. In reality, they are a number that
people very much want to control. Ratings influence people's behavior
and thus can distort the game. The norm seeker's behavior above is a
perfect example.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Hastings
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    (rec.games.chess.misc)
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  • Re: Hastings
    ... "Simon Williams has qualified as England's ... latest Grandmaster after a short draw with the top seed Vadim Malakhatko in ... round eight of the Hastings Masters. ... exceeded 2500 and as he has secured three qualifying results in tournaments ...
    (rec.games.chess.misc)
  • Re: Hastings
    ... much higher rated opponent, drew, but failed to achieve any rating benefit ... If I should draw with a player 200 points above me, ... counts draws for lower rated players, ...
    (rec.games.chess.misc)
  • Re: Hastings
    ... "Simon Williams has qualified as ... England's latest Grandmaster after a short draw with the top seed Vadim ... qualifying results in tournaments there is no impediment to the award of ... higher rated opponent, drew, but failed to achieve any rating benefit from ...
    (rec.games.chess.misc)