Snooker handicap system

J

jpsauve

Registered
I recently found out about the cuefactor snooker handicap system.
I want to set up something like this at my club in Brazil but I cant expect local players to pay to join cuefactor to get a handicap.
So I want to set up a free, open source system and host it on the web somewhere. All you guys can use it when it's up and running ...

However, I dont know how to perform the handicap calculations for snooker. The important point is that the difference in handicap must be the number of points given to the weakest player.

Can someone help me figure out how to calculate the handicap?
As soon as I set this up, I'll let you know and all can use the system for free.

(Alternatively, if someone knows of such a free service on the web, please point me to it).

Cheers!
 
jpsauve said:
... Can someone help me figure out how to calculate the handicap?
As soon as I set this up, I'll let you know and all can use the system for free.

(Alternatively, if someone knows of such a free service on the web, please point me to it).

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Here is a system that's easy to administer and is guaranteed to be fair. That is, in the long run, everyone in the system will win 50% of their matches. (There are ways to give the better players an advantage, but it's much easier to administer the system if you don't.)

The idea is simple. Each player has a rating. If your rating is higher than your opponent's, they get a start according to the difference in ratings. If you win the frame (or match), your rating goes up a little and the loser's rating goes down a little. If the system satisfies those requirements, it is guaranteed to give fair spots on average.

The main detail is to work out the table of rating differences versus starts. Below is a table of rating differences and starts. For example, if one player is rated at 400 and another is rated at 300, the difference in ratings is 100 and the weaker player gets a 33 point start. If a 500 played the 400, the 400 would get a 33 point start.

If you would like, I can make the full table available.

As for the adjustments, I would suggest a one-rating-point adjustment for each frame and a 3-point adjustment for a match. It is better not to pay attention to frame results within a match as sandbaggers can and will keep the match close to prevent their rating from moving in spite of the win.

Bob Jewett

Match starts versus rating point differences for snooker.

Diff/Start
------------
0 0
10 3
20 7
30 10
40 14
50 17
60 20
70 24
80 27
90 30
100 33
110 36
120 39
130 42
140 45
150 48
160 50
170 53
180 55
190 58
200 60
210 62
220 64
230 66
240 68
250 70
260 72
270 73
280 75
290 76
300 78
310 79
320 80
330 82
340 83
350 84
360 85
370 86
380 87
390 87
400 88
410 89
420 90
430 90
440 91
450 92
460 92
470 93
480 93
490 94
500 94
 
Bob,
The reason I ask about how to generate the table is that I have to adapt it to Brazilian snooker rules ...
Thanks.
Jacques
 
jpsauve said:
Bob,
The reason I ask about how to generate the table is that I have to adapt it to Brazilian snooker rules ...
Thanks.
Jacques
Click to expand...
Here's the code:

nom_total=100;
doubling=100;
for(i=0;i<=500;i=i+1) {
ratio=2^(i/doubling);
diff=nom_total*(ratio-1)/(ratio+1);
print i, int(diff+0.5);
}

The variable "nom_total" is the assumed typical total points scored in the game. I suppose this changes some with the level of the players, but that's a minor issue, I think. Changing it changes the "shape" of the handicaps versus ratings a little but it remains similar. It is required because the length of the game at snooker is fixed. In other handicapping situations, such as straight pool, the total length of the game can be varied. (While it is possible to play with fewer or more than 15 reds, it wouldn't exactly be snooker then.)
 
Hi JP

Good to hear that Cuefactor has reached Brazil!

Despite the charge to use Cuefactor, there is a free trial for all users, so you can in fact use Cuefactor to award handicaps to all your players with no fee.

We are also in the process of developing a Group Cuefactor with restricted access for individuals but with adminatrator access to update the Cuefactor of those in the group. This will be ata considerably lower cost than the individual Cuefactor currently available, but will use the same system.

Good luck with your tournaments!
 
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