LeagueOrbit

Set up handicaps and races

Choose how a division handicaps its matches, base races on LeagueOrbit ratings, and add a handicap to a tournament.

The names and results shown are made up (the Maple Street Pool League is a demo organization).

A handicap gives lower-rated players a shorter race (or a spot), so matches are fair. Each division has its own handicap, on the Handicaps page (under Teams & players).

You can change the method, its tables or player ratings at any time. Every match and record is recalculated from the racks that were played. Before any change you see exactly what will change, and you can back up the current results first.

See the current handicap

  1. Open Handicaps and choose the division at the top.
  2. Current handicap says whether handicaps are on and which method is used.

Change history lists earlier versions.

Turn handicaps off or on

  1. Set Even race when off, for example 5.
  2. Choose Turn handicaps off. Everyone races to the same number.
  3. Check the preview and choose Apply change.

To go back, choose Turn handicaps back on, check the preview and choose Restore this backup. It brings back the handicap you had.

Races from LeagueOrbit ratings

The simplest way to set races is to use each player's LeagueOrbit rating.

  1. Under Change the handicap, find Races from LeagueOrbit ratings.
  2. Optional: tick Use the floor. A player then races at most 30 below their highest rating in the last 12 months, which guards against sandbagging.
  3. Choose Use LeagueOrbit ratings.
  4. Check the preview and choose Apply change.

This fills the division's ratings from each player's LeagueOrbit rating today and uses the LeagueOrbit rating chart. Players without a rating race as 500. Do it again before a league night to bring ratings up to date.

To learn how ratings work, see Your LeagueOrbit rating explained and Set starting ratings and use the review queue.

Choose your own method

  1. Under Change the handicap, pick where to Start from: the current handicap or a ready-made setup.
  2. Give it a Name and pick a Method, for example Race table by skill level or Race chart by rating difference.
  3. Pick where Ratings come from: Set by the league, From game win percentage, or Rating that moves with results.
  4. Fill in your league's own numbers in the tables that appear.
  5. Choose Preview what changes.

Check and apply a change

Before you apply this change lists the match results and player records that would change.

  1. Leave Back up the current results first ticked. You can restore it later with one click.
  2. To make the same change in every division of the league, tick Apply to every division in this league. Each division gets its own preview and backup.
  3. Give a Reason for the change.
  4. Choose Apply change, or Cancel.

Backups are listed under Backups. Choose Restore on one, check the preview, and choose Restore this backup to go back to it.

Player records and matches

The Player records and matches tab shows each player's record under the current handicap and the player matches played.

To add a match by hand, use Record a player match: pick the Date, Player A and Player B, enter each rack in the order it was played with Rack won by player A or Rack won by player B, then Save match. These matches count for this division's handicap records only. They don't change LeagueOrbit ratings, which come from match sheets, tournaments and approved casual matches.

Who can do what

The page says what your account can do: change the handicap and restore backups, record player matches, or only view.

Handicaps in a tournament

A tournament can have a handicap too, if it uses a race format (not a chip tournament, a redraw knockout or team points).

  1. On the tournament page, open Setup.
  2. Under Handicap, tick Lower-rated players race to fewer games.
  3. Set Rating points per game and Most games taken off. The example under it shows what your numbers mean.
  4. Choose Save setup.

For example, with 50 rating points per game, entrants rated 500 and 400 are 100 apart, so the lower-rated one races 2 games fewer (never below a race to 1). Entrants without a rating race even. Ratings are fixed at the draw.

Each handicapped match shows the shorter race, like "Race to 5 · Bo races to 3". Before a match has a result, you can open it and choose No handicap for this match (with a reason). Use the handicap again switches it back.

See Run a tournament from entrants to champion for the rest of the tournament.

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