Universal Rating System

[Wayne Komer]

Universal Rating System

December 18, 2016

Michael Khodarkovsky, Grand Chess Tour spokesman, today announced a Universal Rating System.

For Immediate Release

Grand Chess Tour Introduces Innovative Universal Rating System

The Grand Chess Tour (GCT) is pleased to announce that the selection of the 2017 GCT Tour wildcards will be based on a new rating system. This new system will be known as the Universal Rating System (URSTM). The first URSTM list will be officially published on 1 January 2017 and will be accompanied by the launch of the official website explaining the methodology.

The development of the system has been sponsored by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and the Kasparov Chess Foundation. It represents an innovative approach to the computation of chess ratings which have relied on Elo-based calculations since the late 1960’s. In future, the URSTM is expected to have applications beyond chess and other sports.

The new system will introduce the concept of a universal chess rating, a single rating value that represents a player’s universal strength across all time controls. The release of the initial rating list on 1 January 2017 will represent the culmination of 2 years of research and analysis by a team of notable experts in the fields of mathematics and statistics.

The GCT will be assessing the results and performance of the new rating system during the initial pilot period which is expected to last a calendar year. We will welcome feedback from both players and other interested parties once the first URSTM rating list is released in order to help the research team further optimise the parameters of the URSTM.

Graham Jurgensen
Technical Director
Grand Chess Tour
T: +27 82 256 8612
E: graham@grandchesstour.org W: www.grandchesstour.org

For more information, please contact:
Mr Michael Khodarkovsky Grand Chess Tour Spokesperson Phone: +1 201 317 8581 Email: press@grandchesstour.org

18 December 2016

About The Grand Chess Tour

The Grand Chess Tour is a circuit of international events, each demonstrating the highest level of organization for the world's best players. The 2016 Tour was created in partnership between the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (Sinquefield Cup) and Chess Promotions, Ltd. (London Chess Classic).

The legendary Garry Kasparov, one of the world's greatest ambassadors for chess, inspired the Grand Chess Tour and helped solidify the partnership between the organizers. His tireless efforts to popularize the game around the world mirror the goals and ambitions of the Grand Chess Tour. The 2016 Grand Chess Tour consisted of the Paris Grand Chess Tour in Paris, France June 9-12; Your Next MoveTM Grand Chess Tour in Leuven, Belgium June 17-20; the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis, USA August 5-16; and the London Classic in London, UK December 8-19, 2016.
_________

Grand Chess Tour
325 N. Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
info@grandchesstour.org

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Universal Rating System

Universal Rating System

December 18, 2016

I have my reservations about a rating system that combines a player’s performance in classical, rapid and blitz.

I have found this paper, by Azlan Iqbal, which explains the math:

http://www.academia.edu/24378997/A_P..._Rating_System
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The abstract and introduction from the paper:

A Proposal for a Universal Chess Rating System

Azlan Iqbal, Ph.D. College of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kampus Putrajaya, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia azlan@uniten.edu.my

Abstract

Former world chess champion and one of the strongest players of all time, Garry Kasparov, has suggested the creation of a universal rating system for chess that includes all games played. The purpose is to unite tens of millions of players from around the globe and improve sponsorship for the game. In this article we propose such a rating system. It is different in many ways from the standard Elo system adopted by the FIDE (World Chess Federation) yet compatible in some ways with it. While the new system is capable of establishing a rating for every player and every game, it does not displace the current best players from their rightful dominance. The presence and ubiquity of web technology today creates the perfect environment for the successful implementation of the proposed rating system.

1 Introduction

Former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, has put forth the idea of a universal rating system for chess. This “ will include every game of chess played on the planet, from world championship matches to online blitz. It will serve as a portal that unites tens of millions of players and will become an attractive advertising and sponsorship asset”

[1]. In response, the FIDE has reportedly said, “FIDE does not have a monopoly on chess and will not be allowed to attempt to create such a monopoly”

[2]. Regardless, Garry Kasparov has himself suggested to the author that he may be one to devise such a rating system and this article is in response to that

[3]. By no means is the universal chess rating system (UCRS) proposed claimed to be perfect or even better than the existing Elo system, but it does appear to be capable of what Kasparov envisioned. Section 2 explains the system. Section 3 presents some example calculations and theoretical scoring simulation. In section 4, we discuss some common issues and potential limitations of the proposed system. We conclude the article in section 5 with some future prospects

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Universal Rating System

Universal Rating System

December 18, 2016

I have my reservations about a rating system that combines a player’s performance in classical, rapid and blitz.

I have found this paper, by Azlan Iqbal, which explains the math:

http://www.academia.edu/24378997/A_P..._Rating_System...

Hi Wayne, I share your reservations. I think it is better to have separate ELO ratings in each classification.

In the paper you linked to, there is also this:

"Essentially, the more games one wins or draws the higher their rating increases proportionately."

The formula shows that Universal Ratings for individual games get added to ELO ratings for players with ELO ratings. This means that a player like Victor Korchnoi, having played well into his 80's, is likely to be the highest rated player in the world. Boris Spassky will be up there too, if he is still playing regularly.

In effect, what this rating system does is add bonus points for career games won or drawn, meaning all the old and still active players are going to get a boost. The younger players will have to perform extremely well to make their ELO ratings propel them into the Top 100. Or they will have to play LOTS of games, preferably slow time controls (which may not be a bad thing).

One problem: this rating system could NOT apply to correspondence players. The time control factor might actually propel THEM into the top players in the world category, if they played lots of correspondence games.

Another major problem: this system could not apply to computer engines. They are playing thousands of games in automatically-run tournaments and would be light-years ahead of any human players.

But even worse than that is this:

The formula given in the paper for rating an individual game includes a factor for Game Length (GL). In essence, it makes short wins more valuable than long wins. But chess is a game where players may (or may not) RESIGN. That means games may be shortened or lengthened at any player's prerogative. This would distort ratings and cause most players, when losing, to play on just to reduce the game rating for their opponent. It could also cause collusion wherein one player might resign early to boost the opponent's game rating substantially.

Thus this Universal Rating could NEVER be used in any tie-breaking situation. In essence it seems to create more (and bigger) problems than it solves.

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Universal Rating System

What is to stop a sandbagger from playing blitz all day and losing so as to artificially lower his rating just in time to make money in a classical event? In fact, I am a terrible blitz player, I would not even have to sandbag. I could play blitz all day and honestly try to win the games and still lower my rating substantially in preparation for a classical event, and this would not even be dishonest!

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Universal Rating System

What is to stop a sandbagger from playing blitz all day and losing so as to artificially lower his rating just in time to make money in a classical event? In fact, I am a terrible blitz player, I would not even have to sandbag. I could play blitz all day and honestly try to win the games and still lower my rating substantially in preparation for a classical event, and this would not even be dishonest!

Same here!

I don't see the point of trying to merge these ratings. Blitz and classical are two different games.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Universal Rating System

Same here!

I don't see the point of trying to merge these ratings. Blitz and classical are two different games.

Despite that observation, the world championship was just decided by a combination of classical time control and mystery meat.

[Lee Hendon]

Re: Universal Rating System

Does this rating also include Armageddon games lol what a joke

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Universal Rating System

Despite that observation, the world championship was just decided by a combination of classical time control and mystery meat.

Good point, Kerry, and it COULD have been decided by an Armageddon game.

And this point does bring up something that could happen with the chess World Championship in years to come: it might be seen appropriate to make the WC something similar to a decathlon (an athletic event taking place over two days, in which each competitor takes part in the same prescribed ten events (100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500-meter run).

In the case of chess, it might be some combination of classical, rapid, blitz and even Armageddon, plus who knows, maybe even some chess960 thrown in.

Perhaps this move to have a Universal Rating is being made with the "decathlon" view of chess in mind. I think there will be some strong feelings both for and against such a change at the WC level. And yet I doubt anyone in the track and field world has strong feelings against declathon competitions, and that could be because each of those 10 events probably does have its own WC. Which indicates the World Chess Decathlon (to invent a name for it) could end up being organized apart from the classical chess WC.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Universal Rating System

Does this rating also include Armageddon games lol what a joke

It is a joke. Why would anyone pay any mind to it? Control the rating system and you control organized chess.

A lesson can be learned from the CFC quick rating. It used to be that this was reserved for longer games under one hour and usually half an hour. It was changed to include shorter games and people no longer took it seriously. The only ones that use it much are people who run junior events.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Universal Rating System

It is a joke. Why would anyone pay any mind to it?

It will depend how much it will be promoted and what players will get as benefits.

[Brad Thomson]

Re: Universal Rating System

Control the rating system and you control organized chess.

Agreed, and this must be the motivation.

[Rene Preotu]

Re: Universal Rating System

The website is live now. It's very slow so I'm assuming people are checking their Universal rating now. ;)

http://universalratings.com/

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Universal Rating System

The website is live now. It's very slow so I'm assuming people are checking their Universal rating now. ;)

http://universalratings.com/

They don't seem to be exposing their rating formula. They do say that ELO ratings are not part of the calculation at all. Yet the numbers are strikingly similar.

If they aren't going to expose it, then their rating system will be a complete black box. No one will be able to calculate ratings on their own, nor complain that their ratings are calculated wrong. But hey, it's FREE!

Speaking of that.... can the CFC and other Federations survive without rating fees?

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Universal Rating System

They don't seem to be exposing their rating formula. They do say that ELO ratings are not part of the calculation at all. Yet the numbers are strikingly similar.

If they aren't going to expose it, then their rating system will be a complete black box. No one will be able to calculate ratings on their own, nor complain that their ratings are calculated wrong. But hey, it's FREE!

Speaking of that.... can the CFC and other Federations survive without rating fees?

Kasparov is associated with this, and it may be that this becomes his ultimate revenge on FIDE. With a "free" rating system, FIDE and all its satellite federations become unnecessary. Everyone involved with FIDE, including everyone involved with the CFC, must be shaking in their boots. If this URS becomes the standard and remains free of cost, it's a revolution for chess. But the black box aspect is disturbing and could be its Achilles heel.