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I used to play chess in Sydney Australia in 1989 to 1990s. And have news of the demise of many top players since then. Lately, what caught my attention is the topic of chess ratings. I didn't have a clue that the Australian Chess Federation (ACF) has an ongoing issue with their rating system. I thought that the CFC "bonus" rating system is not accurate enough. Until I came across the AGM Report of Peter Parr -the NSWCA President. (I met Peter Parr in his chess shop in Sydney and i use to play blitz tournament every Thursday night, clashing with IM Gedevanishvili).
Below is an excerpt of his report - which might be of interest.
AGM Report by Peter Parr - New South Wales Chess Association President, Australia
"I was encouraged to run for NSWCA President again last year by numerous players who had expressed their discontent with the Glicko rating system. Some inactive players joined the NSWCA as I had guaranteed I would do what I could for Australia to use an Elo based rating system as used by FIDE and its 160 member Federations with similar rating systems adopted by all national Federations. Glicko is much too volatile. Very active NSWCA players have lost 100+ rating points in a 7 round weekender and will never compete in such an event again – the loss would be about 40 (quite acceptable)on an Elo based scale. Juniors rated about 800 often beat active adults about 1400 but instead of losing 15 rating points(under Elo) they lose far more under Glicko. Many adults have dropped out of events when they are Glicko’d ( but many juniors have replaced them). I know from personal experience (1956-1960) some adults did not like playing young juniors but these days it is much more common but Glicko drives them away. Kids in Victoria have many thousands of their games rated for free (saving $14456.40 annually) and any kid can check their progress on the computer with colour graphics and details of rating progress for every game (similar graphics and info as FIDE under Elo). These FIDE and Chess Kids graphics are not available under our Glicko system.
It is interesting to note that of the 123,692 FIDE rated players over the last 38 years that 76,526 (62%) are active but of all Australian ACF rated players over the same period well under 10% are active – due largely to the Glicko Rating System.
Our target must be to get back as many as possible of the over 90% (the silent majority)of all ACF rated players. FIDE, USCF, England, Germany and all countries simply pick up the last rating and carries on – a policy discussed by numerous experts in FIDE including eminent Dr John Nunn and accepted world-wide. Australia is the only country in the world where you can lose well over 100 points in one game or over 400 rating points with a modest weekender result. Under Glicko if two players both rated 1800 (one active, one inactive) play a weekender with exactly the same result and the active player drops from 1800 to 1700 and the inactive player drops from 1800 to 1400 you lose that player for ever. This has happened numerous times. Nearly every day for the last few years I hear complaints about the Glicko rating system (most are much higher on Elo than Glicko). Despite our principles of democracy the ACF Ratings Officer has rejected any review of the Glicko rating system. I estimate over 80 % of players including NSWCA councillors are in favour of a review. Personally I am certain we have literally lost hundreds of ACF players who are inactive due to the rating system."
Below is an excerpt of his report - which might be of interest.
AGM Report by Peter Parr - New South Wales Chess Association President, Australia
"I was encouraged to run for NSWCA President again last year by numerous players who had expressed their discontent with the Glicko rating system. Some inactive players joined the NSWCA as I had guaranteed I would do what I could for Australia to use an Elo based rating system as used by FIDE and its 160 member Federations with similar rating systems adopted by all national Federations. Glicko is much too volatile. Very active NSWCA players have lost 100+ rating points in a 7 round weekender and will never compete in such an event again – the loss would be about 40 (quite acceptable)on an Elo based scale. Juniors rated about 800 often beat active adults about 1400 but instead of losing 15 rating points(under Elo) they lose far more under Glicko. Many adults have dropped out of events when they are Glicko’d ( but many juniors have replaced them). I know from personal experience (1956-1960) some adults did not like playing young juniors but these days it is much more common but Glicko drives them away. Kids in Victoria have many thousands of their games rated for free (saving $14456.40 annually) and any kid can check their progress on the computer with colour graphics and details of rating progress for every game (similar graphics and info as FIDE under Elo). These FIDE and Chess Kids graphics are not available under our Glicko system.
It is interesting to note that of the 123,692 FIDE rated players over the last 38 years that 76,526 (62%) are active but of all Australian ACF rated players over the same period well under 10% are active – due largely to the Glicko Rating System.
Our target must be to get back as many as possible of the over 90% (the silent majority)of all ACF rated players. FIDE, USCF, England, Germany and all countries simply pick up the last rating and carries on – a policy discussed by numerous experts in FIDE including eminent Dr John Nunn and accepted world-wide. Australia is the only country in the world where you can lose well over 100 points in one game or over 400 rating points with a modest weekender result. Under Glicko if two players both rated 1800 (one active, one inactive) play a weekender with exactly the same result and the active player drops from 1800 to 1700 and the inactive player drops from 1800 to 1400 you lose that player for ever. This has happened numerous times. Nearly every day for the last few years I hear complaints about the Glicko rating system (most are much higher on Elo than Glicko). Despite our principles of democracy the ACF Ratings Officer has rejected any review of the Glicko rating system. I estimate over 80 % of players including NSWCA councillors are in favour of a review. Personally I am certain we have literally lost hundreds of ACF players who are inactive due to the rating system."
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