Hi all:
Sorry to raise this - it's been talked about enough before - but I can't help noticing that the inflation of ratings is getting worse. Since I've started playing here I've gone from about 1600 (which was inflated to begin with) to about 2050, without getting much better at chess.
I know that ratings are purely relative, but the inflation seems to be so serious that they can no longer be relied upon as guides even to relative playing strength. It's not really a problem - this is by far my favourite correspondence chess site - but it would be nice to have some external comparability.
Not sure how anyone else feels, or what can be done to fix it. Maybe the first thing is to ask if anyone out there knows why it's happening. Answers on a postcard please...
Billy.
Ratings inflation
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ruymoultor
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 8:03 pm
- Contact:
re : ratings
Another idea that may help would be to not give new members any rating until they have earned one.
When I create a database of all my completed games, which includes those that timed out, ChessBase calculates my performance rating 200 points lower than the SlowChess calculator. No doubt different formulas are at play, but I suspect that the average rating of those who time out is the key difference.
Current SlowChess rating: 2275, based on 79 games against average rating of 1920, 54-14-11 (w-l-d)
ChessBase Performance rating: 2078, based on 125 games against average rating of 1805, 100-14-11
Of course, if these calculations were applied across the board, the ratings would fall even more, as my opponents' ratings would be lower.
Perhaps there is a solution to the rating inflation on this site buried in this information.
Current SlowChess rating: 2275, based on 79 games against average rating of 1920, 54-14-11 (w-l-d)
ChessBase Performance rating: 2078, based on 125 games against average rating of 1805, 100-14-11
Of course, if these calculations were applied across the board, the ratings would fall even more, as my opponents' ratings would be lower.
Perhaps there is a solution to the rating inflation on this site buried in this information.
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gmiller
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1388
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 1999 11:13 am
- Location: Jeffersonville, IN
- Contact:
The Elo rating system has two parameters, the first representing the maximum a provisional player's rating can vary from their average rating (e.g. if they lost every game, or won every game). The recommended ranges for this variable are between 400 and 800, I picked 800, if ChessBase uses a lower value, then that would explain the difference. I bumped the value down to 400, so let's see how that goes, it'll at least remove slow the addition of points into the rating pool anyway.
After looking at other free blitz chess servers, theres just no one on them. So it doesn't really make sense to try to dillute the playing population with one more server.By the way: where is the live chess you promised me?
It really doesnt matter about chess ratings,,,just enjoy the site. I have noticed 1 individual who's rating is 2600 something who has won every game in 25 moves or, less and has lost only 1 game...either he/she is too good for the site or, they are cheating? I am more concerning about that than about why my rating is 400 pts higher than my uscf rating of 1747. Course that rating is from the late 70's early 80's when ELO ratings were more accurate if you want to get technical. 
