Pairing System: Pairing Numbers

The "Pairing Numbers by" box on the Ratings Tab of the Add/Edit a Section dialog box allows you to control how pairing numbers are assigned to the players in that section. WinTD allows for two active ratings which can be used in different ways to rank the players. The choices are

1.Main; Second if Unrated

2.Second; Main if Unrated

3.Main Only

4.Higher Rating

5.Random

Note that the FIDE Dutch system has a very specific method of assigning pairing numbers, so if you are using that, your choice here will have no effect. If you are using any other form of Swiss System pairing, the pairing numbers are generally only for identification purposes (each player will have a unique pairing number) as two players with the same rating are considered interchangeable and are randomly ordered in each round.

The example below shows how the first four choices would order a set of five players. The first column gives the main ratings, the second the second ratings, the third gives the rating used in assigning pairing numbers. This is also the number which will be provided on Cross Tables and Pairing Sheets.

1, 2 and 4 require that the two rating systems be at least reasonably comparable, as either can be used for different players. 3 doesn't since the Second Rating will never get substituted. If two players cannot be sorted based upon the ratings alone, they are ordered alphabetically by name.

Please note that the choice 2 (Second; Main if Unrated) should not be used in a US Chess rated tournament if the main rating field is the US Chess rating.

Main; Second if Unrated

1 873 837 (873)

2 nnnn 853 (853)

3 840 nnnn (840)

4 nnnn 805 (805)

5 nnnn nnnn (nnnn)

nnnn-853 is put between the 873 and 840.

Second; Main if Unrated

1 nnnn 853 (853)

2 840 nnnn (840)

3 873 837 (837)

4 nnnn 805 (805)

5 nnnn nnnn (nnnn)

Local rating takes priority if it's available, so 873-837 is put after 840-nnnn.

Main Only (Second Rating is used to order players with identical Main Ratings)

1 873 837 (873)

2 840 nnnn (840)

3 nnnn 853 (nnnn)

4 nnnn 805 (nnnn)

5 nnnn nnnn (nnnn)

Those unrated in the main rating are put last, ordered by their local ratings. If player 4 were also unrated in the second rating (so that both 4 and 5 had no ratings in either system), 4 and 5 would be in alphabetical order by name.

Higher Rating

1 873 837 (873)

2 nnnn 853 (853)

3 840 nnnn (840)

4 nnnn 805 (805)

5 nnnn nnnn (nnnn)