Georgaphy

[Victor Plotkin]

After my last tournament in Gibraltar-2020, I decided to calculate what happened to my rating in different locations. I was sure that I lost many points in Canada and gained many points in Europe, but the real number was even larger than I expected.

5 years ago, before my first tournament in Gibraltar, my rating was 2306. Now, after gaining 47 points in 2020, my FIDE will be 2314. My rating most of the time was fluctuating between 2250 and 2300, with relatively low volatility (for k-factor 20). So, almost nothing changed in 5 years, I gained just 8 rating points.

I divided all my tournaments in 3 groups: Canada, USA and Europe. I didn't play anywhere else.

In Europe, I played 9 big tournaments (9-11 rounds) and 2 5-rounds events (Gibraltar challengers in 2018). If we count 2 challengers as 1 big 10-round event, we get 10 tournaments. I gained rating every tournament (!), the total gain is 195 (!) points.

In Canada I played in different tournaments, weekenders and longer events (Canadian Open, Canadian Closed). I lost rating every year:

2015: -56 points
2016: -22 points
2017: -49 points
2018: -25 points (I played just 4 tournaments and lost rating every tournament)
2019: -28 points.

I lost 180 points in 5 years in Canada.

In USA, I played just 6 events and lost 7 points. Here we can see relatively higher volatility, I gained 40 points in 1 event (Philadelphia Intl in 2018) and lost 36 points in the same tournament in 2019.

I can find some different explanations for so different numbers in Canada and in Europe, but the main conclusion is very simple: we have a big difference between Canadian and European players with the same rating.

How big is the gap? I gained 195 points in 101 games in Europe, almost 2 points/game, that means the gap should be almost 80(!!) points.

[Hans Jung]

Hello Victor, I respectfully suggest you not play in Canada until you gain the IM title. Its very hard to go from 2300 to 2400 Fide without the additional problems of losing Fide points to underrated Canadians.

[Erik Malmsten]

Victor's European results have been great. In Canada you are always playing the top ceiling players who are vastly underrated as they have few GMs to snag points from. It's hard to get a 2400 rating here. In Europe they have a better spread of ratings up to 2800, an a spread of ages so can snag some ratings from some, perhaps, off day or overworked masters or vacationing GM.

[Victor Plotkin]

Hello Victor, I respectfully suggest you not play in Canada until you gain the IM title. Its very hard to go from 2300 to 2400 Fide without the additional problems of losing Fide points to underrated Canadians.

Hans, thank you for your suggestions and for your comments about my play in Gibraltar.

Unfortunately, in my case the approach "not play in Canada until IM title" practically means "don't play in Canada anymore".

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

In Europe, ... I gained rating every tournament (!), the total gain is 195 (!) points.

I lost 180 points in 5 years in Canada.

Thnx for importing and sharing these points :)

[Aris Marghetis]

Hans, thank you for your suggestions and for your comments about my play in Gibraltar.

Unfortunately, in my case the approach "not play in Canada until IM title" practically means "don't play in Canada anymore".

But if you DO make it, imagine the party!

[Tony Li]

Beyond rating bias, how would you assess these factors:

- work fatigue
- enthusiasm from tourism/playing new opponents
- warmer weather

Introducing another bias...are most online opponents at your rating IMs? Can you see their geography?

[Randy Slaby]

Would another variable be time control and tournament structure? Are the European tournaments typically one game per day compared to 2-3 games/day at NA swiss tournaments? And a correspondingly longer time control in Europe?

[Hugh Siddeley]

Can the CFC hire you as an importer/exporter of FIDE rating points? $10 for every point accumulated in Europe and $10 dropped off in Canada. It could be a good business venture for you.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Can the CFC hire you as an importer/exporter of FIDE rating points? $10 for every point accumulated in Europe and $10 dropped off in Canada. It could be a good business venture for you.

I believe the opportunity cost of that business venture would not be in Victor's favour.

[Victor Plotkin]

90UOTE=Randy Slaby;n204472]Would another variable be time control and tournament structure? Are the European tournaments typically one game per day compared to 2-3 games/day at NA swiss tournaments? And a correspondingly longer time control in Europe?[/QUOTE]

Very good point, thank you.

15 years ago, then I started playing rated games, I believed that I preferred faster time control. Likely, it's different now and I play better slow game than blitz. However, in Canada I lose rating in faster time control (90+30) as well as in slower one (90+30+30). In last 3 Canadian Closed (2015, 2017, 2019) the time control was 90+30+30, and I lost total of 23 points (+12, -20, -15). So, even slower TC doesn't help me in Canada.

About playing 2-3 games/day. I don't think I have a serious problem playing more than 1 game/day. In tournaments like Guelph, Aurora and others my opponents also play many games/day and tired as well. Quality of game likely goes down for both sides.

In 2018, I played in Gibraltar 20 games in 11 days, playing Masters and 2 Challengers at the same time. I didn't performed especially well, but still gained some points in both tournaments. My opponents played just 1 game/day, so they got some advantage. They don't have this rest advantage in Canada or USA.

So, maybe slower TC and a comfortable 1 game/day schedule helps me, but the impact should be very limited.

[Victor Plotkin]

Beyond rating bias, how would you assess these factors:

- work fatigue
- enthusiasm from tourism/playing new opponents
- warmer weather

Introducing another bias...are most online opponents at your rating IMs? Can you see their geography?

- work fatigue. Actually, week-end is better, the stock market is closed Sat and Sun, so I don't need to work before or immediately after the game.

- enthusiasm from playing new opponents ???

- warmer weather. Actually, I prefer colder temperature. Around +15 is the best, but it's not symmetrical. -15 is much better than +30. In Gibraltar is usually around +15 in January, so it's great for me. However, the impact should be very limited.