New Tie Break System

  

New Tie Break System


Back to forum


Garvin Gray    (2024-12-07)
New Tie Break System

Currently Ficgs uses TER as its first tie break if two or more players are tied for first in a round robin group.

I have thought for a long time this is rather unfair and gives way too much advantage to the player with the highest rating in the group.

The practical effect of this rule can be thus:

7 players in a group:

The difference in ratings between the players can be less than 100 points and seeds 1 and 2 can be as little as 2 or 2 rating points.

But with using TER as the first tie break, the top seed only needs to have score the same as everyone else to advance, which with engines nowadays, can quite often mean that all games in a group are drawn.

What I propose is to change the tie break system to the following:

1) Number of wins
2) Sonneborn–Berger
3) Direct Encounter
4) TER

A second option is to stop using such small groups where possible. This would then at least increase the likelihood of a positive result in the groups as more games are played.


Thibault de Vassal    (2024-12-11 03:09:53)
New Tie Break System

Hi Garvin,

I can only say: Yes, this tie break system is good (probably better even if it remains subjective) & interesting.

But I don't think that changing this rule would be so good, it would lose in coherence & simplicity, and complexify the understanding of past tournaments... So, I'll go to the 2nd option, let's make 9+ players round-robin groups (as far as possible).