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Is there any merit in having a handicap tournament which whilst open to all players will give lower rated players a points start? Thus an open handicap tournament could give points as follows:

1700-1800 1 point start
1600-1700 3 point start
1500-1600 6 point start
1400-1500 9 point start
1300-1400 8 point start
1200-1300 12 point start
1100-1200 15 point start
1000-1100 18 point start

Under 1000 an 18 point start.

Or some variation on the above.

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Originally posted by jayaitch
Is there any merit in having a handicap tournament which whilst open to all players will give lower rated players a points start? Thus an open handicap tournament could give points as follows:

1700-1800 1 point start
1600-1700 3 point start
1500-1600 6 point start
1400-1500 9 point start
1300-1400 8 point start
1200-1300 12 point start
1100-1200 ...[text shortened]... rt
1000-1100 18 point start

Under 1000 an 18 point start.

Or some variation on the above.
oops, error in 1000 and under. Should read 21 points start.

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Originally posted by jayaitch
oops, error in 1000 and under. Should read 21 points start.
gremlins at work: Obvious mistake in points, but never mind its the principle of the thing which matters.

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good idea....there would have to be a mix of players somehow..

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Originally posted by jvanhine
good idea....there would have to be a mix of players somehow..
If you look at the 21/21 open tournaments there is a huge range of players rating wise. As one of the lesser players myself I haven't a hope of winning an open tournament but I might win a handicap tournament.

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Originally posted by jayaitch
Is there any merit in having a handicap tournament which whilst open to all players will give lower rated players a points start? Thus an open handicap tournament could give points as follows:

1700-1800 1 point start
1600-1700 3 point start
1500-1600 6 point start
1400-1500 9 point start
1300-1400 8 point start
1200-1300 12 point start
1100-1200 ...[text shortened]... rt
1000-1100 18 point start

Under 1000 an 18 point start.

Or some variation on the above.
In principle yes. However these could be open to abuse by timeoutters. 1900 rated player drops to 1100 and then gets a 15 point start.

You could also in theory end up with a higher rated player 1900+ winning 12 games out of 12 but losing the tournament because the tournament consisted of predominately lower rated people, of which one player (1100) won 8 games out of 12.

It sort of takes the incentive for the higher rated player to participate out of the equation.

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Originally posted by jayaitch
Is there any merit in having a handicap tournament which whilst open to all players will give lower rated players a points start? Thus an open handicap tournament could give points as follows:

1700-1800 1 point start
1600-1700 3 point start
1500-1600 6 point start
1400-1500 9 point start
1300-1400 8 point start
1200-1300 12 point start
1100-1200 ...[text shortened]... rt
1000-1100 18 point start

Under 1000 an 18 point start.

Or some variation on the above.
No. To win a tournament should make you feel good. This would lower that prospect. Tournaments are supposed to be challenging.

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Thanks for the comments. Many golf tournaments are based on handicap, so why not a chess tourney. Why not run one and see how it goes?

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i like it. the parings would have to be original to stop a 1800+ players being stuck with a load of 1300ish players and something like our highish ever rating would have to be used to determine now many point start you got but it could work.

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Originally posted by trevor33
i like it. the parings would have to be original to stop a 1800+ players being stuck with a load of 1300ish players and something like our highish ever rating would have to be used to determine now many point start you got but it could work.
Thanks for that Trveor and I agree if it was a pairing tournament. But why not a 16 all play all twice, or indeed any number with group winners playing off?

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Originally posted by jayaitch
Thanks for that Trveor and I agree if it was a pairing tournament. But why not a 16 all play all twice, or indeed any number with group winners playing off?
i think a lot of people would want to play in a handicapped tournament so something like 10 groups of 10 might work out better than a smaller tourney.

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Originally posted by trevor33
i like it. the parings would have to be original to stop a 1800+ players being stuck with a load of 1300ish players and something like our highish ever rating would have to be used to determine now many point start you got but it could work.
yes, its all about the fixed pairings or a lower player will squeeze out a win every time... what about draws?

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Originally posted by jvanhine
yes, its all about the fixed pairings or a lower player will squeeze out a win every time... what about draws?
In the group round points would be scored as now 3:1:0 then the handicap would be added. Agree with jvanhine that there would be a problem in play-off after group stage, so what you probably need is a large one group tournament of (say) 30 players. The handicap points I suggested was only to set out the idea. May be the bands should be broader and not as many handicap points given.

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seems as if there are many supporters of this...the only way to see what works is to try one....maybe the people who run the tourneys have some ideas...

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It's a nice idea, but it looks like it's open to abuse. I find the banded tourneys are the best way of playing similarly rated players. The other aspect to this is - if you don't play those highly rated player, you will never improve your game. I was recently down in the mid 1200's and I beat a 1400 player after playing lots of highly rated players, now i'm up there myself over 1400. I know it's demoralising to be beaten, but it's the only way to learn, unless you want to trawl through countless chess books which I find utterly boring.

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