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In table tennis, ratings are used to assess and categorize players based on their skill level. There are several rating systems used throughout the world, but they essentially use a similar system of increasing or decreasing a player's rating based on the opposition's rating and the result of the match.

A Common Rating System

One of the widely-used table tennis rating systems is Rating Central (https://www.ratingscentral.com/) which uses an algorithm developed by Dr David J. Marcus (2001). This system provides a more accurate measure of player performance compared to traditional rating systems. It uses a statistical approach to evaluate player skills and update ratings based on match outcomes.

Each player is assigned a rating that represents their average skill level. This rating is expressed as a numerical value, which is continuously updated based on match results. Alongside the rating, each player has a deviation value that reflects the uncertainty in their rating. A lower deviation indicates a higher confidence in the rating's accuracy.

Players earn or lose rating points based on the outcome of matches against opponents with different ratings. The amount of points gained or lost depends on the difference in rating between opponents and the result of the match (win, loss, or draw).

How Ratings Are Used

Overall, ratings in table tennis serve as a measure of skill and help in organizing competitive play at various levels, from local clubs to international tournaments.

You can group players for tournaments or for seeding the draw based on their rating. This ensures that players compete against others of similar skill levels, which makes competitions fair and competitive. The rating system can also provide motivation for players to challenge other players and improve their ratings.

Reference

• Marcus, David J. (2001) New Table-Tennis Rating System. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series D (The Statistician), 50: 191–208

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