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Alan Woods Rating System (AWRS)
Overview.....
The ABF
has acquired the licence to run the AWRS rating
system in Australia.
Under the
system, all regular competitors will have a rating
that reflects their current standing. This will be
an accurate measure because it takes into account
both the standing of the partner and that of the
opposition.
It is
known as the Alan Woods Rating System, in
recognition of the contribution from the late Alan
Woods. He amassed a $700 million fortune through his
horse racing rating system and it was these ideas
that inspired the bridge rating system in the first
place. Furthermore, he was a great supporter of the
idea of the system being used for bridge; according
to his wishes, some of his one million dollar OzOne
donation is being used to support clubs in the early
days of the system.
When the
system is fully installed, it will provide an
accurate ranking for tournament players all around
the country. Indeed, being number one at bridge will
have importance in much the same way as number one
at golf or tennis. The system will also allow for
accurate seeding and stratification of events as
well as properly balanced movements.
Of course,
masterpoints will remain in place exactly like
before.
All clubs can now rate their
players using the AWRS rating system. A rating is
an accurate measure of the player’s current standing
at bridge. This is so because the system takes into
account the strength of the partner and that of the
opponents. It also puts more weight on recent games.
The system is akin to the international chess rating
system.
Ratings are not designed to
replace masterpoints. Masterpoints largely reflect
how long a player has been playing rather than a
player’s current performance and that is quite
different from ratings.
Most duplicate players want to
know how they went. That is why they go to the
trouble of going to the club. The percentage tells
the player how his or her partnership went on the
day but it does not tell the whole story. What a
player really wants to know is how good that result
is when you take into account the strength of the
partner and the opponents. This is what AWRS does.
A typical comment on the
system:
“At the end of each session to
know not only my outright percentage result but how
well I have performed against my rating has added a
marvelous new dimension to the game. In the past, I
didn’t really know how I was doing.
In the clubs using AWRS that I
have played in, the system has been received with
overwhelming enthusiasm. It has created added
enjoyment and it has huge intellectual appeal. It
should have been thought of years ago.”
John Anderson (Retired Managing
Director of Zerox South Africa and Xerox Australia -
Rated 62.)
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