Wow, thanks The Optimist - I think I've about got it now. Although I've still got lots of questions :) - but don't want to bombard you!

Just to say, as a comparison, the French system only has ratings. i.e. everybody (whatever age, from 12 up) plays everybody, whatever tournament, they all count the came, and once a year, like you say, there's a calculation (iterative) as to how many wins (with a coefficient for wins against players rated one grade above you, two grades, three grades etc. and they calculate your new ranking. All wins count the same but you get no points for beating someone rated two ratings below you (30 points for a win for someone one rating below you, 50 points for someone the same rating, 100 points for someone 1 rating above you, 150 for someone two rating above you....)

Losses aren't taken into consideration (that was changed about 10 years ago because, again as you say, it stopped people entering tournaments where they 'might' lose in the first round). So only victories count. (Although there is a bonus is you go through the whole year with no 'significant' losses). Winning a tournament gives you a bonus of another win (against the top rating of any player in that tournament). Certain championships also give you a bonus (but not many).

There's also a half-way through the year re-calculation - but just for adults, not juniors, as they don't want juniors 'chasing' points, they want them to be concentrating on developing.

These ratings are used for any selection process and can automatically generate a ranking i.e. if you're 5.1 (equivalent) and age 13 and no other 13 year-old is 5.1 or better, then you're the best ranked 13 year-old and number one seed for any 13 year-old tournament.

Foreign players (French kids, perhaps, who play abroad a lot) get an administrative rating i.e. one that the committee decides, based on any home wins and an equivalence system with the foreign country.

I don't know how it compares - the system seems to work well - players definitely love it - kids play kids or play seniors and the points system works the same.

Anna Brogan first alt for main draw now. Jodie Burrage has withdrawn(probably would have got a wildcard)

Assuming Anna B gets in, wildcards likely for four from Freya, Beth, Jasmine, Lisa W, Nastya.

Hopefully some of the local girls might get QWC - Donia*, Claudette

* Donia's GB ranking is not a true reflection and shows the lack of GB events played last year. Hopefully the new ranking system will correct this.

 

EDIT - Harriet has withdraw, which bumps Anna B into the main draw.

-- Edited by paulisi on Thursday 15th of January 2015 04:30:46 PM

I didn't realise our top junior boys were all entered for Sunderland.

I suspect Joe Salisbury will get a wildcard if he doesn't get in direct, but it would be nice to give Alexis Canter, Joel Cannell, Jonathan Gray and Ryan Storrie main draw wildcards.

-- Edited by paulisi on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 12:53:07 PM

Well, at least the higher ranked guys considering competing have made a rather better job of actually entering for this week. So that will help up and comers re WCs.