Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Technical questions regarding Openings, Middlegames, Endings etc.
John Foley
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Location: Kingston-upon-Thames

Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by John Foley » Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:01 pm

I recall playing in a blitz tournament with time odds related to the players' ratings.
Does anybody know where I can find a handicap schedule?

More generally, has there been any analysis of playing strength v time control?

Ian Thompson
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Location: Awbridge, Hampshire

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Ian Thompson » Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:41 pm

John Foley wrote:I recall playing in a blitz tournament with time odds related to the players' ratings.
Does anybody know where I can find a handicap schedule??
Crowthorne chess club runs a time handicap tournament, with 15 minutes in total for the game. The handicaps have been adjusted over the years to try to give everyone an equal chance. The handicaps are:

Grade Higher Lower
Diff Player Player
0 7.50 7.50
1 - 6 7.00 8.00
7 - 12 6.00 9.00
13 - 18 5.00 10.00
19 - 24 4.00 11.00
25 - 33 3.00 12.00
34 - 48 2.50 12.50
49 - 60 1.83 13.17
61 - 75 1.50 13.50
76 - 100 1.00 14.00
101 - 125 0.75 14.25
126+ 0.50 14.50

However, no one thought to adjust the handicaps when grades were changed 2 years ago, until I pointed this out a few months ago, so the following might be more appropriate now:

Grade Higher Lower
Diff Player Player
0 7.50 7.50
1 - 5 7.00 8.00
6 - 10 6.00 9.00
11 - 15 5.00 10.00
16 - 19 4.00 11.00
20 - 27 3.00 12.00
28 - 39 2.50 12.50
40 - 49 1.83 13.17
50 - 61 1.50 13.50
62 - 81 1.00 14.00
82 - 101 0.75 14.25
102+ 0.50 14.50

Paul Cooksey

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:28 pm

thanks Ian. I knew I'd played under those rules somewhere.

My main recollection of the event was what a relief it was to play Richard, after half a dozen games trying to move as quickly as possible. Then I was dead lost after about 10 moves. :)

John Foley
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Location: Kingston-upon-Thames

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by John Foley » Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:29 pm

Thanks Ian.

It is remarkable how disproportionately time has to be allocated in order to bring about grading parity. With just 28-39 grading points difference, the time handicap is 12.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, a difference of 10 minutes within a total of 15 minutes. It shows the stronger player is 5 times more efficient at analysing the position.
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Paul Cooksey

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:33 pm

John Foley wrote:Thanks Ian.

It is remarkable how disproportionately time has to be allocated in order to bring about grading parity. With just 28-39 grading points difference, the time handicap is 12.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, a difference of 10 minutes within a total of 15 minutes. It shows the stronger player is 5 times more efficient at analysing the position.
You can think in your opponents time :) . Actually I think I lost to a much weaker player was when he got into time trouble and it was just a random scramble.

Matt Chapman
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Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Matt Chapman » Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:09 pm

How many games have been played at your club under the 0.5 - 14.5 time control (with the appropriate grading difference)?
I find it hard to believe that 30 seconds is enough time for anyone to even complete a game, nevermind win against someone with an extra 14 minutes! Presumably the whole point of the handicap system is to make results roughly 50 - 50.

Ian Thompson
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Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: Awbridge, Hampshire

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Ian Thompson » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:32 pm

Matt Chapman wrote:How many games have been played at your club under the 0.5 - 14.5 time control (with the appropriate grading difference)?
I find it hard to believe that 30 seconds is enough time for anyone to even complete a game, nevermind win against someone with an extra 14 minutes! Presumably the whole point of the handicap system is to make results roughly 50 - 50.
It used to be 20 seconds minimum, not 30 seconds, and I probably played 10-20% of my games at 30 seconds or less. I usually won with White with 20/30 seconds, but lost with Black. You have to move instantaneously, but you can think on your opponent's time, so it is long enough to play a game. For me, the difficult time limit is 1.5 - 2 minutes vs. 13.5 - 13 minutes. At these time limits I found it difficult to win with either colour.

Matt Chapman
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Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:57 pm

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Matt Chapman » Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:34 pm

I have to say that is quite impressive, since I don't think my hands actually move at that speed- and my brain would certainly lag behind. It only works to think on your opponents time to a point, since they will often surprise you with their move!

Alexander Hardwick
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Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Alexander Hardwick » Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:32 am

Matt Chapman wrote:I have to say that is quite impressive, since I don't think my hands actually move at that speed- and my brain would certainly lag behind. It only works to think on your opponents time to a point, since they will often surprise you with their move!
Which, of course, completely changes the character of the chess. For the lower-graded player, it becomes more about playing surprising moves, which will cost his higher-graded opponent some of those precious few seconds...

But then, to a certain extent, all blitz chess is like that, full stop. Even rapidplay, some would say.

Alex Holowczak
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Location: Oldbury, Worcestershire

Re: Time Odds v Players' Ratings

Post by Alex Holowczak » Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:37 am

Alexander Hardwick wrote:But then, to a certain extent, all blitz chess is like that, full stop. Even rapidplay, some would say.
Not if you play with an incremental time control. :D