Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
In our league, there used to be a rule limiting the extent to which teams could play up. I can't recall what it was, but I think maybe only 40% or fewer of your players could be playing up.
Last spring was the first season that this rule was scrapped around here. Now an entire team of 3.0s can play up to 3.5. Or 4.0. Or 4.5, I think.
Last season's experience with the new rule was interesting. The old rule was in place when registration started, so there was one team that registered as 2.5. The minute the new rule was enacted, the team moved up to 3.0. They got absolutely murdered; they lost all the team matches and went 3-56 (plus one default win) on individual matches. They had nine 2.5s and five 3.0s (one of whom was self-rated and had her rating dropped by the computer to 2.5 in November).
I also played on a team that was chock-a-block full of 2.5 players playing up. We had five 2.5s on a 16-player team and two 3.0s who were dropped to 2.5 by the computer this year -- meaning half the team was playing up. We got killed too. We lost all 12 team matches, but we managed 9 individual wins.
The question: What was the reason for the rule change? Should this sort of playing up be allowed? Was the old rule better? Is it "fair" to the opponents who are choosing to play their level yet find the team across the net to be far inferior? Does it create any weird incentives to manipulate a rating?
Last spring was the first season that this rule was scrapped around here. Now an entire team of 3.0s can play up to 3.5. Or 4.0. Or 4.5, I think.
Last season's experience with the new rule was interesting. The old rule was in place when registration started, so there was one team that registered as 2.5. The minute the new rule was enacted, the team moved up to 3.0. They got absolutely murdered; they lost all the team matches and went 3-56 (plus one default win) on individual matches. They had nine 2.5s and five 3.0s (one of whom was self-rated and had her rating dropped by the computer to 2.5 in November).
I also played on a team that was chock-a-block full of 2.5 players playing up. We had five 2.5s on a 16-player team and two 3.0s who were dropped to 2.5 by the computer this year -- meaning half the team was playing up. We got killed too. We lost all 12 team matches, but we managed 9 individual wins.
The question: What was the reason for the rule change? Should this sort of playing up be allowed? Was the old rule better? Is it "fair" to the opponents who are choosing to play their level yet find the team across the net to be far inferior? Does it create any weird incentives to manipulate a rating?