Open ratings tournaments have the largest pool of eligible registrants. Although they would be eligible, players may not want to encounter those who are much lower rated or much higher rated.
Opinion:
Tournaments where there is specified sufficiently narrow range appeal to many.
Open rated tournaments could be good for tournaments where there are extreme conditions. For example this tournament expected to last four to eight years managed to attract 100 players. http://www.chess.com/tournament/slow-but-fast
Official site tournaments:
The minimum number of rated games completed is five for basic members and zero for premium members. Premium members must have made one move to establish a time per move average for official Quick Knockout tournaments.
It is normal for players' ratings to rise and fall. During registration some players' ratings rise above the stated maximum rating. It is not uncommon for this observation to be made in the comments of official tournaments.
There is no player movement between the tournaments after the start. This is reasonable as each tournament would be at different stages.
At the end of the tournament, the winner could be rated hundreds of points higher than the nominal maximum.
Sandbagging - Added 2012 01 11
A constant complaint in both official and member-created tournaments. The volatile nature of ratings of new players ensure this issue is raised in official tournaments. Tournament duration is a factor. Some players get better. This is not sandbagging but players who only know the buzzwords think it is.
The only way to avoid complaints, valid or not valid, is to not have a maximum rating. Only open ratings tournaments and those with a minimum rating.
In tournaments where there is maximum rating, complaints are lessened if players have reliable ratings. Reliability is better when players have played many games.
Open ratings tournaments have the largest pool of eligible registrants. Although they would be eligible, players may not want to encounter those who are much lower rated or much higher rated.
Opinion:
Tournaments where there is specified sufficiently narrow range appeal to many.
Open rated tournaments could be good for tournaments where there are extreme conditions. For example this tournament expected to last four to eight years managed to attract 100 players. http://www.chess.com/tournament/slow-but-fast
Official site tournaments:
The minimum number of rated games completed is five for basic members and zero for premium members. Premium members must have made one move to establish a time per move average for official Quick Knockout tournaments.
It is normal for players' ratings to rise and fall. During registration some players' ratings rise above the stated maximum rating. It is not uncommon for this observation to be made in the comments of official tournaments.
Players are moved to the appropriate tournament just before the start in all official tournaments regardless of whether this is stated in the description. The programming has failed just once, in this series http://www.chess.com/tournament/11th-chesscom-thematic-tournament---blackmar-diemer-gambit-1001-1200
Update 2012 02 03: The programming has failed twice. Only one tournament of the series forgotten. http://www.chess.com/tournament/14th-chesscom-thematic-tournament---nimzowitsch-defense-1801-2000
There is no player movement between the tournaments after the start. This is reasonable as each tournament would be at different stages.
At the end of the tournament, the winner could be rated hundreds of points higher than the nominal maximum.
Sandbagging - Added 2012 01 11
A constant complaint in both official and member-created tournaments. The volatile nature of ratings of new players ensure this issue is raised in official tournaments. Tournament duration is a factor. Some players get better. This is not sandbagging but players who only know the buzzwords think it is.
The only way to avoid complaints, valid or not valid, is to not have a maximum rating. Only open ratings tournaments and those with a minimum rating.
In tournaments where there is maximum rating, complaints are lessened if players have reliable ratings. Reliability is better when players have played many games.
Note: The site provides general tournament information here: http://www.chess.com/tournaments/help.html and here http://support.chess.com/
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