From: fdeming@cvbnet@prime.com (Frank Deming {x6088})
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: USCF Lifetime Titles (again)
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:11:14 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Computervision, A Prime Computer Company, Bedford, MA, USA

I agree that there must be an error in the way they described it in the 
magazine. The orginal article, about a year ago(?), when the system was 
announced, had the same problem. From watching my class title score on
the mailing labels I receive, it seems to be as you describe below, that
Barry wouldn't get any credit for the Certified Class A norm

Frank
In article <1993Jan5.025159.3416@cis.uab.edu>, sloan@cis.uab.edu (Kenneth Sloan) writes:
|> I thought that I understood the USCF Lifetime Titles system.  
|> 
|> Then I read the official explanation in the December 1992 Annual Rating
|> List.
|> 
|> Now I'm confused.  
|> 
|> The explanation includes an example calculation.  Here are the essential
|> points:
|> 
|> *assume a player named Barry Bishop.  "Barry bishop's norm title, not
|>  rating, before the tournament was ''Advanced Class B'' (1700 norm level)
|>  and he had zero points toward Certified class A title (''B0'' class norm
|>  code)."
|> 
|> *the example computation now proceeds to calculate the expected
|>  performance of a 1700 player against Barry's opponents in this
|>  tournament.  
|> 
|> *"Barry exceeded the expected score of a player at the 1700 norm
|>  level..."
|> 
|> *"Barry failed to exceed the expected score of a player at the 1800 norm
|>  level.  His highest norm level performance was 1700..." 
|> 
|> *"Since Barry gained two norm points toward ''Advanced Class B'' norm,
|>  his post tournament norm code would be ''B2.''  He would need eight more
|>  points to achieve ''Certified Class A'' norm.
|> 
|> Now - can this be right?  I thought that the code "B0" meant that Barry
|> already had the "Advanced Class B" title (earlier in the explanation, we
|> are told: "John Chess has a norm code of ''c2,'' which means he
|> currently holds the Certified Class C title (1400) and two points toward
|> the Advanced Class C title (1500)."  So...doesn't "B0" mean that Barry
|> already has the Advanced Class B title?  If so, why are we computing the
|> performance of a 1700 player against Barry's opponents?  Why does the
|> explanation say that the code B2 means that Barry has "gained two points
|> toward ''Advanced Class B'' norm..."?
|> 
|> Am I confused, or is this a massive misprint?  Does the letter in the
|> norm code represent the title you *have* - or the title you are *working
|> towards*? 
|> 
|> [my claim is that Barry's performance (1720, 1750, 1800, 1770, 1600;
|> 3-2) failed to produce a Certified Class A norm, and his norm code is
|> still B0.]
|> 
|> If you have the Annual List handy - please read the entire explanation;
|> perhaps I've left out a crucial detail in my condensed version above.
|> 
|> If you don't, then you probably don't understand the title system any
|> better than I do - but what the hell, take a shot!
|> 
|> ----
|> 
|> I also note, with amusement, that Table III: Sample "Win Expectancies"
|> is computed to 3 decimal digits.  Such precision!
|> 
|> -- 
|> Kenneth Sloan                   Computer and Information Sciences
|> sloan@cis.uab.edu               University of Alabama at Birmingham
|> (205) 934-2213                  115A Campbell Hall, UAB Station 
|> (205) 934-5473 FAX              Birmingham, AL 35294-1170
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess