This message in another thread got me thinking. I imagine that there are many scholastic tournaments, especially at the high school level, in which many if not most of the participants are not USCF members. In such an event, how does the TD determine pairing order? Are there alternative rating systems that exist for these purposes?
I’m sure it varies from one area of the country to another.
I’ve run events in which over half of the players were unrated. In such cases you assign some order to the players and then pair those players according to that order.
Arizona uses their own rating system for AIA chess tournaments.
- Enrique
Since I’m sure that would be the case where I am, can you elaborate on what you mean by “assign some order”?
I don’t know how other TDs do it, but I assign unique two or three digit random numbers to the unrated players. As I recall, SwisSys lets you put in negative ratings for ordering purposes but the players are otherwise treated as unrated. For example, those players don’t get a bye unless no other valid pairing exists.
If you are familiar with their playing strength, which is the case in small clubs or events, then this is a way. I do not combine them, or I try to use funds generated to provide memberships for those that cannot afford them. I then put them in order by last name as unrated.
Last name is the one order I would NEVER use.
I spent 12 years in school always standing in line behind two of my best friends because our last names started with ‘H’, ‘J’ and ‘N’, respectively.
For Non-USCF scholastics, I rank the players by grade, then use Schroeder pairings (1vs2) to pair each round. Thus, in the first round of a K-6, 6th graders will be paired against 6th graders, 5th graders against 5th graders, etc. By using Schroeder pairings the younger players will be less likely of being paired only against older players and all players will play the player nearest them in grade in their score group.
The IL HS Assn uses the ICCA (IL Chess Coaches Assn) ratings that are maintained by one person. They are initially seeded with the USCF rating (if any) and then maintained from there. NTD Mike Zacate would have a lot more information on that.
That just might be why you got to be such good friends though.
I use grade in school X 100 +50 to get initial estimated ratings for new kids in my non-USCF sections. K or below counts as first grade. Then at the end of the tournament, I calculate new ratings using SysSwiss.
Lowest possible rating is 150; At the end of the tournament, any kid who has dipped beneath 150 is reset to 150.
The +50 and reset to 150 are to prevent rating deflation as the stronger kids take their high ratings out of the local rating pool when they move onto USCF rated sections. The local rating pool seems roughly in synch with USCF ratings.
My unrated sections are K-3 and 4-6.
Another good idea.