Of course games at piece odds are not rateable. But what about a game with time odds? If it is well publicized in advance that players will get or give time odds would the USCF rate the tournament? I am specifically thinking of time odds given in blitz chess. As long as the minimum amount of time for a player is 5 minutes, then why not rate it?
Larry S. Cohen
If my memory is correct, this was discussed a couple of years ago. Since the rating system is based on predictable expected results, and since time odds change that level of predictability, a time odds tournament would not be ratable.
I agree that time odds (ie, the lower rated player gets more time) is not USCF ratable, because like piece odds the players do not have equal conditions, which is one of the implied assumptions in the ratings system.
I think Ken Sloan has suggested on occasion that time odds such as 5 minutes for White and 7 minutes for Black MIGHT be USCF-ratable, because in this case all players have the same conditions (irrespective of color allocation issues, of course.)
I don’t know if the latter situation has ever been ruled upon.