From: Pieter Stouten <stouten <at> SHOGI <dot> NET>
Date: 11 dec 2002
Subject: Re: Elo ratings and grades

On 2002/12/11 at 23:04 +0100, Eric Cheymol wrote:

>As the European Rating Officer from 1994 to 2000, I applied some
>clear rules. Apart from the written rules, there was an essential
>non written rule. This rule said that as an organization
>recognized by the NSR, FESA accepts all NSR decisions, whatever
>they are. This rule has never been contested.
>
Interesting. I seem to remember Asle Olufsen received a shodan grade
from NSR a few years ago and you decided not to accept his grade.
Eric, please correct me if my memory is faulty.

Also, there is the case of Richard Bjerke. If memory serves me, the
story is the following (Richard, please correct me if I got the
details wrong): Richard was supposed to participate in the ama Ryu O
(or ISF, I forgot) qualifyer in New York, which was cancelled after
9/11. This tournament was replaced by an internet tournament with far
fewer representatives than originally foreseen. Richard ended second
in his league, but since number 1 had already participated, that
number 1 was not eligible. Therefore, Richard qualified and got a
4-dan grade. In our system at the time he was 1-kyu; now he may be
1-dan. What would you do in this case?

>Then for the 2002 ISF, we see that the winner gets the 5 Dan grade!
>And FESA/USSF says: "thanks, but we will use our own rules !!".
>
Making a point by twisting somebody's words is not very helpful for
an open discussion. I indicated that FESA has not yet taken a stance,
which is a far cry from not accepting NSR grades. My personal view is
that we should accept NSR grades unless a player prefers to retain
his Elo-based grade.

Ciao,

Pieter