Banded Tournies

I think most average players prefer banded tournies. However banded tournies at the extreme (below 1000 and above 1800) often take time to fill.

I see two possible solutions: More regular tournies for those rated 1150 to 1450 at say bands of 25 points.

or

Adjusting the size of the band according to number of players with this rating: Therefore you might have one band 800 - 1000 another 1000 to 1050 and then at the peak of the statistical curve have a band 1295 to 1300, before the bands widen again higher up the ratings.

This would give everyone equal chance of getting into a tournament.

Not 'or', but 'and'!

I would agree with both suggestions.
I like to play against higher ranked players to learn and I usually lose ; I like to play against lower ranked players to boost my ego and hopefully teach them a thing or two.
Players in tournaments should be as evenly matched as possible; that's when the really good, competitive games occur.

I think the ratings increments for banded tourneys are ridiculous. 25 points a piece, come on. My rating goes up and down over a 100pt scale on average. Trying to pin down my actual rating to a specific 25 point category is futile. I think doing them by the 100's is a better idea.

I think the average player has similar rating fluctuation to you. Since everyone is being paired by their upper fluctuation point, you would be paired against players that are pretty close to your skill level with the 25 point increments even though there might be a 75 point difference between two players at the moment.

The big problem with the 100 point increments in the middle ratings is that there are too many players in that range. Those tournys will fill up literally within a few hours. If you weren't online when the tourney was posted, you didn't get in.

Best thing might just that all people sign in for a tournament without a limit in participants. After, say, a week it is decided if those that have signed in will form one tournament, of the group is split into different tournaments.

Originally posted by Aiko
Best thing might just that all people sign in for a tournament without a limit in participants. After, say, a week it is decided if those that have signed in will form one tournament, of the group is split into different tournaments.

Gets my rec

Open up a 'tournament' for entry over say one week then split it into bands based on the ratings demographic of those that enter.

Originally posted by Aiko
Best thing might just that all people sign in for a tournament without a limit in participants. After, say, a week it is decided if those that have signed in will form one tournament, of the group is split into different tournaments.

I also support this suggestion. As some people might have noticed the narrwo banded tournaments 807-80 didn't fill up that fast. This time two bands would have sufficed.
Making the bands after people joined would avoid the problems aorund this.

Originally posted by Aiko
Best thing might just that all people sign in for a tournament without a limit in participants. After, say, a week it is decided if those that have signed in will form one tournament, of the group is split into different tournaments.

I to agree with this idea. Perhpas the idea should be passed on to Russ for review Aiko.