TGIF Rating System: Explained

In response to much fanmail, I developed a ranking system for the TGIF contest. Its purpose is to acknowledge those who consistently perform well in this contest, on an annual calendar cycle. It's also more fun!

After much consultation with my posse of math and gaming gurus, we decided that any effective rating system would have to:

•	increase the awards with an increase in the size of the field; and
•	reward most strongly those at the top, with a steep dropoff through the placings (i.e., a top-heavy rating system).

Since the ACBL masterpoint formula satisfied both conditions, I went with that.

Overall Awards

Those that are on the overall list each month will receive an overall award. The length of the overall list is the top 1/4 of the field or the top 10, whichever is larger, including any ties. The top award will be 3.5 times the number of participants. For example, since there were 34 entrants in the December 2009 contest, the top award was 119.00. Second place will receive 75% of the top award; third place will receive 50%; fourth place 35%; fifth will get one-fifth; sixth will get one-sixth; and so on. Ties will split the award with the rank(s) below.

Match Awards

Match awards will be given to those who get some problems right (or close to right) but do not receive an overall award. For each problem you get 100 points, you will be awarded 1.50; for each problem you get between 60 and 99 points, you will be awarded 0.50.

Leaderboards

Your annual score will be taken from your best 9 scores (out of 12) in that calendar year. Your hotness will be measured from your best 8 match awards (scaled up by a factor of 2) out of the last 12 months. If you miss a contest, you'll score a hotness of 6.

Enjoy!

Brad Bart
February 1, 2010.