On Mon, 12 May 2008 10:30:28 -0400, "Chess One"
wrote:


(b) do rating ceilings and floors exist withing Elo's system,

To even ask this question reflects a much deeper lack of
understanding. Hard to see how a rating system can address
deliberate sandbagging (hence the floors add-on) or cherry-picking
opponents or event manipulation (hence the rarer ceilings). This
isn't to say that the various tweaks have come close to solving the
problems.

and
(c) what alternatives to USCF's 'award' system are there? [see Alekhine's
Parrot this week at www.chessville.com for a precis of an alternate system,
as declaimed by its originator]

If the CXR ratings gained the same level of usage as USCF or FIDE
ratings, you'd have the same problems with sand-bagging and
manipulation.

A number of us have suggested publicizing and perhaps awarding prizes
for some additional metrics that could piggyback on the existing
rating system: highest rated opponent defeated, highest tournament
performance rating, etc. These might well serve as motivators for
participating in rated events.