I have been considering running a “for fun” – (re: non-rated) – “weekend Swiss” --(re: normal Time_Controls, e.g. 40/90 … G/120 … etc.) with an “Armageddon” philosopy – White haveing more time; Black having “Draw Odds” … … but, am wondering what would be the percentage difference in time to make the “Draw Odds” for Black a fair game … … the FIDE “suggestion” of 5 minutes for White, 4 minutes for Black being a 20% difference, does the same hold true at, e.g., White plays at G/100 while Black plays at G/80 w/Draw Odds (both TCs with a delay, of course)? At 5 min./4 min., it seems like a “fair trade” for the Draw Odds … but, at 100 min./80 min. … or, 90 min./72 min. …is the time difference fair? Should the difference be a larger percentage drop … 25%? 33%? 50%?
Armageddon should always involve bidding. Fix White’s time and the delay or increment, and whichever player bids less time gets to play Black. No problem if someone plays Black every round.
I would think that if you’re dealing primarily with B players and above, that it might be as much as 50% to be fair at a longer time control. With lower rated players who are more likely to blunder away dead drawn or even won positions, 20% is probably fine.
Is each player allowed just one bid, in which case that bid should be secret, or do the players keep bidding against each other until one cries uncle? The latter sounds more interesting.
I would never play in a 5/4 Armageddon. The win percentage for Black is well over 60% and I feel that shows a flaw with the idea. Ideally it should be about 50/50, but I know that won’t happen. Still it should at least come in at 60/40 for which ever color has the more wins. I do recall that the 7/5 that was tried in the past resulted in a win ratio for White of well over 60% and is no longer used. Bidding is best, but otherwise I think that with increased thinking time the percentage difference in time should be less. So maybe G/90 v G/80 would be a better way to go.
That’s absurd. Most players fritter away probably 10 minutes out of 90 anyway and a high percentage of games end with plenty of time on at least one of the clocks. Draw odds is worth way more than 10 minutes out of 90.
Since this event is “for fun”, why go with a time difference? Use piece odds, the way players did it in the old days in casual games when there was a decided difference in skill. For example, 1000 rating point difference, take the Queen off the board; 800 point difference, a rook; 600 points, a knight or bishop; 400 point difference, 2 pawns; 200 point difference, a pawn (Morphy routinely took his Black f-pawn off the board and played the French Defense (!) in casual games). Below a 200 point difference, eliminate the right to castle for one side. In 5 minute or 10 minute games, it evens up the games. Make up your own scale.
Uh, because OP’s choice of a for fun technique was Armageddon? Nothing wrong with your suggestion, and I definitely like the idea of trying something offbeat.
I once saw a suggestion in an old Hoyle’s Games book, that for a really extreme skill difference, specify that the stronger player must administer checkmate with his f-pawn, unpromoted.
I remember a 1 night club tournament with time odds. It was blitz and if the rating difference was 100-199 then it was 5-4, 200-299 It was 5-3, 300-399 and it was 6-3, up to the point of 10-3 with the higher rated getting the less time. Since it is unrated and the OP is thinking about Armageddon time controls, then there must also be factored in the total amount of time that the space being used is available. Also, there was no mention of how many rounds the event was going to be! If you want to have a 1 day 5 round event, then I don’t think you can do G/120 versus G/90 with draw odds and get in 5 rounds. Do remember that the players do like to have a little time between rounds and a lot more time than that to get a meal if it is a day long event. More importantly what is the target audience for this event? Just trying to get more casual players in? Just want to run a fun/crazy idea tournament for the regular players [in which case ask their opinions]? Just want to experiment with Armageddon? There are always multiple factors that go into the shape of any tournament.