A Unique Method For Pool Sports Ranking

Marcel Elfers of Mountlake Terrace, Washington is one of my favorie pool tinkerers and his new sports ranking for cue games is rather clever. Marcel calls his system "Relative Ranking" and patterns it after styles I have seen effectively employed for US Chess Federation play, adding the Stableford scoring method used for select golf events.

Say you are in an 8-Ball Match and want to keep Relative Ranking score. You would earn for the following accomplishments:

Match Won: 2 points

Game Won: 6 points

Break And Run: 4 pointsTable Run: 3 points8-Ball On The Break: 1 point8-Ball Scratch: -2 pointsA Break And Run to win scores 10 points (6 + 4 points). Note a "Table Run" is defined as pocketing all called shots in one turn at the table. The break itself is not a called shot, hence, if I break and do not pocket a ball and my opponent misses, in my next turn I can still earn a Table Run.

Example: Player A wins a 5-game match with 3 game wins though his opponent breaks and runs the other two games. Player A's score is 20 points (Match Won 2 + (3 X Game Won 6) = 20. Player B has 2 Games Won for 12 plus 2 Break And Runs for 8 points = 20 points and a tied score, which makes sense. A 3-2 loser in games with two Break And Runs is likely just as skilled as his opponent.

It is easy to now work with point averages.

Based on Relative Ranking you can assign ranges with A, A-, B+, B, B- etc. for players. Marcel's system encourages performance as quality play is always rewarded. One cannot "sandbag" (disguise skill to intentionally lower handicap to win later), since all Rankings are Relative and based on your personal ranking and that of your opponents' rankings. (You can't predict whether opponents will increase or decrease in ranking in the immediate future.)

You score the most points by Winning Games, Matches and making Hi-Runs. Your personal Relative Ranking is based on your personal average points versus average points of opponents or (xPr) x (xPro).

Assume you play 15 matches (75 games) and that each of your opponents play 75 games each for a total of 1,125 games. Your xPr is based on 75 games and your xPro is based on 1125 games.

The biggest influence on your Relative Ranking is without doubt your personal xPr, as it should be. The many data points (1,125) for your xPro means that the Standard Deviation tightens. In other words, opponents' average a far lower variance than your personal score.

Winning counts far more than being selective in your opponents! Just don't play only D players with low Relative Rankings!

Thanks again to Marcel Elfers for adding needed brain power to calculating innovative handicap systems. All sports rankings should as well considered in scope.