From: sloan@cis.uab.edu (Kenneth Sloan)
Subject: Re: 2267 Performance Rating for 10-year old in Montreal
Organization: CIS, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 04:31:04 GMT

In article <1993Jan2.130353.14810@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu> pmbarlow@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Pete Barlow... 'The Candy Guru') writes:
>In article <31DEC92.15661460.0064@VM1.MCGILL.CA>, CCHB@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CCHB) writes:
>> Here is a CHESS-related item:
>> 
>> Ten-year old Lefong Hua scored an impressive 3.5 out of 5 in the
>> Open section of a tournament in Montreal (Canada) which ended
>> yesterday. His results were as follows (he was ranked 45th out
>> of 49 players at the start):
>[results deleted]
>> His performance rating was 2278, raising his rating to 1947.
>> After adjusting for the "deflated ratings" of Canadian players, his
>> USCF rating would be somewhere around 2100 (published USCF rating is
>> in the 1600's, based on 6 games).
>> His photo was on the front cover of the February 1992 issue of CHESS
>> LIFE (upper right, holding trophy), after winning the Grade 4 section
>> of the National Elementary School Championships (Nov. 1991).
>
>Wow.
>
>> His brother, age 6, wants to play in tournaments too, but is just
>> learning to write, and cannot record his moves!
>
>Easy enough.  If the kids parents are coming along to the tournaments, just
>have THEM record the moves until the kid is old enough to write for himself. 
>That'd come under the "appointing a deputy" clause, in the rules for
>handicapped players section of the ORC, and not knowing how to write would
>certainly be a valid reason to have someone else record the moves.

Yes, but...a parent is a particularly poor choice for an assistant.
And, don't forget that if you allow one player an assistant you must
allow his opponent an assistant, too.

Hereabouts, it is common to waive the recording requirement for 6yr
olds.  Even in an "adult" tournament, I suspect that few opponents would
object, and the lack of a score sheet is not likely to affect the game.
I'd say go for it - but I would look for scholastic events first. 

>
>> Does anyone know if a ten-year old has ever had an expert (or a master)
>> rating before? (Fischer became a master at 13).

First...before what?  The wonderful performance cited above is
admirable, but the kid doesn't have an expert rating, yet.  His USCF
rating is 1641/06, which would place him 7th on the "Age 9-10" list (but
he's not listed, presumably because his USCF rating is provisional.  The
top 10 year old is Vladimir Miloslavsky at 1968*a7.  The 'a7' indicates
that he has had one 'x'-norm (significantly better performance than a
2000 rated player.  Also, watch the Mont-Reynaud family, 9yr old Jordy
is 1840*a4 and climbing.  Nawrose Nur is now 11, and listed at 2094*x7
(note that he has an 'm'-norm!) - I don't know if he made expert while
still 10, or not.

One benefit of the norm system is that we can separately track
established ratings and spectacular short-event performances.

>
>Uh... I don't know if Jorge Zamora made expert before his tenth birthday or
>not... or if he's even gotten there yet.  But aside from him, no one comes to
>mind.

Well, Zamora is now 13, and I don't believe that he played in USCF
competition while he was 10.  He's now listed as 2405*s2 - not too shabby.

My guess (Elliott!  break out the historical database and embarass me!)
is that a 10yr old with a published, established, Expert rating is very
exceptional, but not unknown.  For example, I would bet that Nawrose Nur
made expert while still 10 - I believe that he was rated in the mid
1900's at last year's National Elementary, and he did well there.


-- 
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