From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> COMCAST <dot> NET>
Date: 8 oct 2002
Subject: Re: 4. Shogi Handicap Tournament Graz, the result

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel M. Toebbens" <toebbens <at> HMI <dot> DE>
To: <SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL>
Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 4:41 AM
Subject: Re: 4. Shogi Handicap Tournament Graz, the result


> On Tue, 8 Oct 2002, Thomas Pfaffel wrote:
>
> > Last Sunday we organized a Shogi Handicap tournament in Graz, Austria.
> > What was special with it?
> > It was the first Handicap tournament in Europe which counts for rating
> > calculations!
>
> Just out of couriosity: How do you calculate ELO points from a handicap
> game?
>
> Daniel Toebbens

     Without going into too much detail, the basic idea is that the rating
difference is reduced by an amount corresponding to the rank equivalence of
the handicap, with lance = 1/2 rank, bishop 1 1/2, rook 2, R+L 2 1/2, two
piece 3 1/2, four piece 4 1/2, five piece 6, six piece 7 ranks.  So if for
example someone at the midpoint of 3 dan plays someone at the midpoint of 1
dan at rook, it would be rated as if it were an even game.  But if they
played at bishop, the stronger player would be considered to be highe
by the rating equivalent of half a rank.

    Larry Kaufman