Ratings and levels

The short answer

Four numbers on four different scales, none of which converts cleanly into the others. NTRP is a banded self-rated and computer-rated US system.

The short answer

Look at the actual spread of your group, not at a rating scale. If your twenty players run from a recreational 3.0 to a strong 4.5, two bands is right.

The short answer

Seed them from the most conservative signal you have, then let the first match correct it. The fix matters more than the guess: a new player's first…

The short answer

Sandbagging is claiming a lower standard than you play at, to win a lower band. Signs: a placement well below the claimed external rating, a run of…