Abstract
This paper studies the population of chess players and the distribution of their performances measured by Elo ratings and by computer analysis of moves. Evidence that ratings have remained stable since the inception of the Elo system in the 1970’s is given in three forms: (1) by showing that the population of strong players fits a straightforward logistic-curve model without inflation, (2) by plotting players’ average error against the FIDE category of tournaments over time, and (3) by skill parameters from a model that employs computer analysis keeping a nearly constant relation to Elo rating across that time. The distribution of the model’s Intrinsic Performance Ratings can therefore be used to compare populations that have limited interaction, such as between players in a national chess federation and FIDE, and ascertain relative drift in their respective rating systems.
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Regan, K.W., Macieja, B., Haworth, G.M. (2012). Understanding Distributions of Chess Performances. In: van den Herik, H.J., Plaat, A. (eds) Advances in Computer Games. ACG 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7168. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31866-5_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31866-5_20
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