Dart Averages for Match Parity

[John Fereira]

In article <6296.94...@subnode.bradford.ac.uk>,
DW SHEPHERD <D.W.Sh...@bradford.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>A closer look at averages.
>
>Before I start, for the record, I'd like to say that averages are
>'fun with statistics', but as we all know statistics mean nothing
>when you stand on the oche, so
> "have fun with stats, but don't take them too seriously!"

There are at least a couple of leagues that use averages to create parity
in the league. The Bud Light Dart League and Medalist leagues are two that
have been mentioned.

In the case of the BLDL your Points-Per-Dart-Average is recalculated every
match (12 games). The following your new average is used to give or
receive a handicap in all of the matches played. I've posted in the past
how exactly the handicap is determined but the PPDA is calculated using
all darts thrown in a 301 game (single-in/single-out).

>There are 3 possible methods (at the moment).
>
> 1. All darts
> 2. All non-finish-attempt darts
> 3. All darts until score reduced below 100.

The Medalist League uses a method similar to #3 except that they count the
first four rounds in a 501 game. During a weekly match (13-15 games) four
501 games are used to determine the average. The remaining score after
four rounds is written down for these games. These scores are added up
and subtracted from 2004 (the total of 4 501 games) to determine how many
points were thrown in the four games. That number is divided by 16 (the
number of counted rounds thrown in four games). This will give a points
per round number. There is a range of points-per-round that corresponds to
a player rating. For example, 74-80 points per round might correspond to
player rating of 6. Teams are made up such that there is a cap on the total
number of rating points for the entire team. For example, the BB Cricket
trio's flight has a cap of 18 team points.

>Each of these can be quoted 'per dart' of 'per 3 darts'.
> ^^^
> These denote ~very~ rough guide to
> the standards of various levels
> of player in the UK (using system 1).
>
> Comments: a) The all dart system is distorted if you try and count
> competition games, because of course you never finish
> half your games against an equal opponent!

The advantage of the BLDL system for determining average is that an
average can be taken whether or not you won the game. Take the starting
score, subtract the ending score, and divide by the number of darts thrown.
Note, that the starting score will not always be 301 because of the handicap
system used. I once played someone that started a 141 and I had to start
at 301.

> b) Remember it's the AVERAGE game that counts. It's no
> use throwing a 19 dart finish & claiming to be
> superleague standard if your other games average 30 darts.

That's why the Medalist league uses four league games. The counted games
are interspersed with Cricket games so you aren't throw all the countable
games in a row.

>-Players with high averages are not automatically the best.
> Other factors like variable their game is, and how they
> respond to distractions, bad luck, pressure & clutch situations
> are also important, but not quantifiable.

You forgot sandbagging. :-)

Here's something else ya'll might find interesting. I heard recently of
a electronic board that might be put into use for handicap cricket leagues.
The game begins by each player (alternating) throwing four of count-up
(hit the hight possible score each round) rounds. After four rounds the
board switches over to Cricket and takes the difference of the the count
up scores and adds it the higher players score. That four rounds are also
used to determine the points per round average for the player rating. It's
an interesting way to discourage sandbagging in games used for player ratings.

--
John Fereira
Pleasanton, CA

[Chris Patterson]

Hi all,
I'm currently playing in a pub comp (Monday nights) where we play 501
handicap singles.

The general format is:

50 points lead per current division, with the winners being promoted a
division (unless the're already at the top:-)

Hence a Premier A player might meet a Division 5 player (5 divisions down)
thus the Premier player plays 751 to the Divi 5 players 501.

We have found this format to be really fair, and if anything gives the lower
divisions a bias, which works itself out one or two weeks later, if they keep
winning...

*grin* it's also a great way to find new talent, as one of our State Players
came from this comp (She was playing pool and asked if she could play as well,
6 months later she was in the State side)...

Cheers

Chris

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Chris Patterson | Ph: +61 6 2495558 Fx: +61 6 2572886
National Center for Development Studies | AARNet: Chris.P...@anu.edu.au
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