Estimated and Provisional Ratings
SwissSys can flag players who have provisional or estimated ratings, making it easy to identify them on reports and during pairing.
Provisional Ratings
A provisional rating is a rating with too few games for statistical reliability. When loaded from the database or online, SwissSys can flag these players with a “p” next to their rating.
Configuration
Provisional rating handling is set in the Rating setup panel. Access it via the Registration toolbar → Rating options button → [+] More options expander → Rating Import Settings, or through Options > Environment Options > Ratings.
| Option | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Ignore all | Provisional ratings treated as established; no flag |
| Mark all with “p” | Player flagged with “p” but registration continues without interruption |
| Warn me | A reminder dialog appears each time a provisional player is loaded |
See Registration Options to configure this setting, or Ratings Tab - Environment Options for full details.
Estimated Ratings
An estimated rating is one you enter manually when a player has no official rating.
Enter a negative number in the rating field. SwissSys treats the value as an estimated rating and:
- Displays it as a positive number with an asterisk (
1500*) on all reports - Uses the absolute value for pairing purposes
Example: Entering -1500 displays as 1500* on wall charts and cross-tables.
Related Topics
- Registration Options - Configure how provisional ratings are handled during registration
- Ratings Tab - Environment Options - Full rating search configuration