From: "Dr.Eduard Werner" <edi.werner <at> GMX <dot> DE>
Date: 14 mar 2001
Subject: Evaluation of handicap games (please comment)

Hello all,

can anyone give me a hint of how to evaluate handicap games? Right now I
thought of simply adjusting the opponent's rating by a certain number of
points according to the handicap, so that the game would simply be evaluated
as if it were an even game against a stronger (or weaker) player. I'm
considering the following magic numbers:

L   200
B   450
R   575
R+L 700
2p  900
4p  1250
6p  1500

So if a player with a rating of 2200 played against a player with a rating
of 900 at 4 pieces, the game would be evaluated for him as if he had played
an even game against a player with 900 + 1250 = 2150. If he plays at 6 pieces
it would be evaluated as an even game against s.b. with a rating of 1500+900
= 2400. For his opponent, the games would be equivalent to playing an even
game against opponents with ratings of 2200 - 1250 = 850 and 2200 - 1500 =
700, respectively.

Please tell me your opinion about these numbers, how they should be adjusted,
should other handicaps be taken into account (Right Lance, 3p, 5p), if there
are different approaches, etc.

Best

Edi Werner, Shogi Ladder Coordinator