Regulations on the rating system

1.1. To calculate the relative strength of players in sports Dots, the Sevastopol Sports Dots Club (SSDC) rating is used.

1.2. The rating is assigned to participants in official tournaments held by the SSDC or with its methodological support.

1.3. A player's rating changes depending on the results of games played in official tournaments and is calculated using the ELO coefficient.

1.4. Rating calculation procedure.

1.4.1. The mathematical expectation of the number of points that player A will score in a game with player B is calculated (it is equal to the sum of the probability of player A winning and half the probability of a draw): Ea = 1/(1+10^(Rb-Ra)/400), where Ea is the mathematical expectation of the number of points that player A will score in a game with player B; Ra is the rating of player A; Rb is the rating of player B.

1.4.2. The new rating of player A is calculated using the formula: Ra’=Ra+K(Sa-Ea), where K is a coefficient equal to 10 for players with a rating of 2400 and above, 20 for players with a rating below 2400, and 40 for new players (the first 30 games since the rating was assigned); Sa is the number of points actually scored by player A (1 point for a win, 0.5 for a draw, and 0 for a loss); Ra’ is the new rating of player A.

1.5. The rating is divided into two categories: classic Dots and rapid Dots.

1.5.1. Classic Dots are a rating assigned to participants in official tournaments with classic timekeeping.

1.5.2. Rapid Dots - a rating that is assigned to participants in official tournaments with “blitz” and “rapid” timing.

1.6. A player participating in an official tournament for the first time is assigned an initial rating in the corresponding category.

1.6.1. The initial rating value is 1200 points.

1.7. All games played in an official tournament are rated, meaning they result in a change in the players' ratings.

1.7.1. If the regulations of an official tournament provide for replays of drawn games, both these games themselves and all their replays are rated.

1.7.2. If the result of a game is annulled by the decision of the arbiter of an official tournament, only its replay is rated.

1.7.3. A game, the result of which is determined without play due to the absence or disqualification of a player (players), is not rated.

1.8. The calculation and assignment of the rating is carried out by the relevant official of the SSDC.

1.8.1. Changing the rating in any way not provided for by these Regulations is not permitted.

2.1. A sports rank is a mark of distinction that reflects the level of a player’s athletic achievements.

2.2. A sports rank is awarded based on the player’s performance in official tournaments held by the SSDC or with its methodological support.

2.3. Hierarchy of sports ranks (from lowest to highest): third-class, second-class, first-class, candidate master, master, honored master, grandmaster.

2.3.1. Abbreviated names of ranks are written in Arabic numerals and Latin letters (from lowest to highest): 3, 2, 1, C, M, H, G.

2.3.2. If a player has participated in official tournaments, but there are no grounds for awarding him a sports rank, he is considered to be of no rank (abbreviated as N).

2.4. The grounds for awarding a sports rank: a player achieving a certain rating (in the “classic Dots” category) or winning prize places in official tournaments of various categories.

2.4.1. Correspondence between the rating (in the “classic Dots” category) and sports ranks:

— 2500 and above — grandmaster;
— 2400-2499 — honored master;
— 2300-2399 — master;
— 2200-2299 — candidate master;
— 2000-2199 — first-class;
— 1800-1999 — second-class;
— 1600-1799 — third-class.

2.4.2. Correspondence between prize places in official tournaments and sports ranks:

a) At highest category tournaments:

— 1st, 2nd and 3rd places — grandmaster;
— 4th place — honored master.

b) At first category tournaments:

— 1st place — honored master;
— 2nd and 3rd places — master;
— 4th place — candidate master.

c) At second category tournaments:

— 1st place — candidate master;
— 2nd and 3rd places — first-class;
— 4th place — second-class.

d) At third category tournaments:

— 1st place — second-class;
— 2nd, 3rd and 4th places — third-class.

d) At tournaments of the fourth category: not awarded.

2.5. The assignment of a sports rank is carried out by the relevant official of the SSDC.

2.5.1. A player's loss of rating does not entail a reduction in the previously assigned sports rank.

2.5.2. Changing a sports rank in any way not provided for by these Regulations is not permitted.

3.1. Official tournaments held by the SSDC or with its methodological support are divided into categories depending on their representativeness and sporting value.

3.2. Categories of official tournaments: highest, first, second, third, fourth.

3.3. The highest category includes official tournaments, the conditions of which do not create restrictions on the maximum skill level of the participants, the quality of the game, and the objectivity of the result.

3.4. If the conditions of an official tournament imply restrictions on any of the specified parameters, then its category is reduced by a number of steps corresponding to the number of limiting factors.

3.4.1. Factors limiting the category of an official tournament:

— an upper limit on the rating and/or sports rank of the participants, which cuts off any number of stronger players;
— gender restrictions that exclude players of any gender;
— age restrictions that exclude players of any age;
— territorial restrictions that cut off players living in any territory or outside of it;
— strict restrictions on playing time (“blitz” or “rapid”);
— a format in which a participant does not have to meet with any of the other participants during the tournament;
— correspondence form of implementation.

3.4.2. For official tournaments that are held in a league format with division into divisions depending on the skill level of the players, the category is lowered by one level for each subsequent division after the highest.

3.4.3. If the conditions of a tournament require the participation not only of a pre-defined group of players registered in accordance with the general requirements, but also the guaranteed participation of a specific player(s), conditioned by the decision of the organizer, regardless of his (their) skill level, the moment of the decision on admission, and actual admission, the category of such a tournament is reduced by two levels.

3.4.4. If the upper rating threshold and/or sports rank of the participants stipulated by the conditions of the official tournament excludes players with a rating of 2200 and above and/or players with the sports rank of candidate master and above, the category of such tournament is lowered by two levels.

3.4.5. If an official tournament is held for the purpose of determining a challenger for a match with the current holder of a title, its category is not lowered by the fact that the title holder is unable to take part in it.

3.4.6. Matches between two players, except for title matches, cannot have a category higher than fourth. The category of a title match is determined by the general procedure.

3.4.7. The organizer of an official tournament has the right to assign it a lower category than that required by these Regulations. Arbitrary assignment of a higher category is not permitted.

3.5. Tournaments receiving a category lower than the fourth are considered friendly, and ratings are not awarded to participants in such tournaments.

4.1. The rating and sports rank of players is recorded by entering the relevant data into the SSDC rating list.

4.1.1. The rating list may be divided into categories in accordance with various sportingly significant criteria.

4.2. If a tournament is not held by the SSDC, the organizer wishing to grant it official status must, no later than seven days before the start of player registration, send the full text of the regulations to the SSDC for approval.

4.2.1. After approval and a positive conclusion from the relevant official of the SSDC, the tournament is assigned a category and is included in the calendar of events of the SSDC as a competition held with the methodological support of the Club.

4.2.2. Amendments to the tournament regulations after approval by the SSDC are not permitted.

4.3. No later than three days from the end of an official tournament, its referee must record and transmit to the SSDC the following information:

— rating and sports rank of all participants at the start of the tournament;
— the results of all games of the tournament in chronological order.

4.3.1. The verification of the information provided and updating of the rating list are carried out by the relevant official of the SSDC.

4.4. The current rating list is published on the official website of the SSDC; when citing it by third-party resources, a link to the original source is required.

4.5. To be included in the rating list, a player must play at least five rated games. If a player fails to play a single rated game within a calendar year, they are removed from the rating list. Their rating remains intact, and the player is reinstated as soon as they play at least one rated game.

4.5.1. If the rating list is divided into categories, the rules established in Article 4.5 of these Regulations shall apply separately to each of them.

4.6. At the player's request, the relevant SSDC official may issue a certificate and badge confirming the assignment of a sports rank, or an extract from the rating list confirming the player's rating as of a specific date. The costs of producing and shipping the certificate, badge, or extract are borne by the player.

5.1. Amendments to these Regulations shall be made by order of the Chairman of the RPO "SSDC" and shall come into force after the end of the official tournament following the publication of the amendments.

5.2. The changes made to these Regulations shall not have retroactive effect.