Pre-1996 Lifetime High Ratings

[Paul Leblanc]

Occasionally I get a request to update the CFC Lifetime High rating for an individual who would like his/her lifetime high updated to reflect a pre-1996 personal high.
I'm willing to do a few of these on a trial basis unless the demand becomes overwhelming.
At the moment Predrag Putic claims that he achieved a rating of 2350 not long before the 1996 start date for the current rating data base.
If anyone out there has old magazines with rating lists for 1994 to 1996 and is willing to check it out, please let me know.

[Stephen Wright]

The August 1996 Semi-Annual list has Predrag Putic at 2219, which is also the number given for his highest rating. There is a previous value of 2275/20 in the October 1995 issue of En Passant, but this is provisional.

[Kerry Liles]

Occasionally I get a request to update the CFC Lifetime High rating for an individual who would like his/her lifetime high updated to reflect a pre-1996 personal high.
I'm willing to do a few of these on a trial basis unless the demand becomes overwhelming.
At the moment Predrag Putic claims that he achieved a rating of 2350 not long before the 1996 start date for the current rating data base.
If anyone out there has old magazines with rating lists for 1994 to 1996 and is willing to check it out, please let me know.

Seriously?

[Erik Malmsten]

Occasionally I get a request to update the CFC Lifetime High rating for an individual who would like his/her lifetime high updated to reflect a pre-1996 personal high.
I'm willing to do a few of these on a trial basis unless the demand becomes overwhelming.
At the moment Predrag Putic claims that he achieved a rating of 2350 not long before the 1996 start date for the current rating data base.
If anyone out there has old magazines with rating lists for 1994 to 1996 and is willing to check it out, please let me know.

I have made a file of players who had achieved a 2200 rating, 1966-1996, I might add a column for their maximum Established rating.

[Michael von Keitz]

I have made a file of players who had achieved a 2200 rating, 1966-1996, I might add a column for their maximum Established rating.

Erik, if you get really ambitious, would you be able to indicate those who maintained a rating of 2200+ for 24 consecutive games in that time period, as well as the year the 24th game occurred?

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Erik, if you get really ambitious, would you be able to indicate those who maintained a rating of 2200+ for 24 consecutive games in that time period, as well as the year the 24th game occurred?

It could be too ambitious, as the number of games were not indicated in the rating lists. (at least what I have).

[Erik Malmsten]

Erik, if you get really ambitious, would you be able to indicate those who maintained a rating of 2200+ for 24 consecutive games in that time period, as well as the year the 24th game occurred?

I am listing them by the first year they go over 2200, as earlier is the more exciting --"My rating's over 2200!!"-- and easy to verify.

I was that ambitious by using fudging logic: If a player's CFC master rating is changing over 3 annual lists, that the player is likely active and has probably played more than 24 games. If their rating is over 2200 for only one annual list, than I say it's possible that they haven't played 24. Also, for new players have to not count their first 24 games which are provisional.

From 1966 (the beginning of ELO 2200=master) through 1995 I listed 228 players [who never got a FIDE over-the-board title]. Using the fudging logic, that lists shrinks down to 97 players. 37 of these players had 2300 ratings, (except before 1988) but few opportunites for FIDE-rated play, or pre-FM titles.

I could go through the tournament reports and count some of the games, making a conservative list of only players whose 24 games are verifiable, but impossible to prove that they were consecutive without having the CFC rating card [in the national archives?]. Some are quite clearly experienced masters, but how to treat those who briefly peaked then returned to expert? Or, also common, dropped out of chess after reaching a master rating (sometimes returning a few years later).

I could also break the list into two: players who are still recently active, and those who haven't played in a CFC game in the past 10 years.

My fudged list with a sample rating (not necessaily their highest):
Elod Macskasy 1966 {also master pre 1966}
Rudolf Draxl 1966
Lionel Joyner 1967 {also master pre 1966} 2401
Walter Dobrich 1969
Peter Nurmi 1973
Robert Wachtel 1974
Leo Williams 1975
Robert Chow 1975 2325
Milan Vukadinov 1976 2390
Joe Oszvald 1976 2313
David Lavin 1978
Peter Murray 1979
Jan Greben 1979 2307
Stephen Ball 1979
Dale Kirton 1979 2312
Victor Dzera 1980
Jan Pajak 1980 2357
David Filipovich 1980 2314
Dan Scoones 1980
Jeff Reeve 1980 2398
Robert South 1981 2316
Fred South 1981 2297
Brian McLaren 1981
John Burstow 1982 2305
Ian Kilgour 1982
Doug Bailey 1984 2323
Jozef Polacek 1984 2345
Jonathan Schaeffer 1984
Paul Brown 1985
Harold Brown 1985 2299
Kevin Pacey 1985 2337
Peter Dauvergne 1985 2296
Paul Janicki 1986
Roger Patterson 1986 2304
Carl Storey 1986 2291
Robert Sasata 1986
Harry Moore 1986 2350
Robin Girard 1986 2311
Glenn Morin 1986 2312
Rehan Huda 1986 2346
Martin Devenport 1986 2300
Arthur Prystenski 1986 2296
Aron Kaptsan 1986
Ian Skulsky 1986
Prosanto Sarkar 1986 2318
Steven Peter 1987 2302
David Southam 1987 2300
Gilbert Sommerfield 1987
Imitiaz Husain 1987
Brian Fiedler 1988
Jeff Coakley 1988
Wayne Barclay 1988
Billy Peckford 1988 2326
John Armstrong 1988
Robert Kiviaho 1988 2369
Arniel Frialde 1988 2297
Zbigniew Okolotowicz 1988
Nicholas Spears 1988
Knut Nevan 1989
Ben Walker 1989
Robert Gardner 1989
Saifudin Kanani 1989
Bobby Palacios 1990
Andrei Moffat 1990
Brad Booker 1991
Mayo Fuentebella 1991
Paul Williams 1991
Assem-Magdy Amin 1992 2358
Laszlo Bekefi 1992 2388
Josip Mihaljevic 1992 2378
Pierre Gladu 1992
Ian McGarrett 1992 2333
Barry Rasmussen 1992
Peter Ferguson 1992 2304
Gevork Taschian 1992
Danilo Marquez 1992 2316
Dale McTavish 1993
Armando Valdizon 1993 2307
George Vlaovic 1993 2330
Sasha Starr 1994
Bill Bogle 1994
Jean-Francois Wen 1994
Bill Evans 1994
Marc Moisan-Plante 1994 2304
Roger Langen 1994
Simon Gravel 1995 2422
Miladin Djerkovic 1995 2385
Kent Loo 1995
John Hallam 1995 2304
Sasha Grumic 1995
Meng Lou 1995
Paul Beckwith 1995
John Ferrar 1996 2314
Anthony Howarth 1996

[Fred McKim]

I am listing them by the first year they go over 2200, as earlier is the more exciting --"My rating's over 2200!!"-- and easy to verify.

I was that ambitious by using fudging logic: If a player's CFC master rating is changing over 3 annual lists, that the player is likely active and has probably played more than 24 games. If their rating is over 2200 for only one annual list, than I say it's possible that they haven't played 24. Also, for new players have to not count their first 24 games which are provisional.

From 1966 (the beginning of ELO 2200=master) through 1995 I listed 228 players [who never got a FIDE over-the-board title]. Using the fudging logic, that lists shrinks down to 97 players. 37 of these players had 2300 ratings, (except before 1988) but few opportunites for FIDE-rated play, or pre-FM titles.

I could go through the tournament reports and count some of the games, making a conservative list of only players whose 24 games are verifiable, but impossible to prove that they were consecutive without having the CFC rating card [in the national archives?]. Some are quite clearly experienced masters, but how to treat those who briefly peaked then returned to expert? Or, also common, dropped out of chess after reaching a master rating (sometimes returning a few years later).

I could also break the list into two: players who are still recently active, and those who haven't played in a CFC game in the past 10 years.

My fudged list with a sample rating (not necessaily their highest):
Elod Macskasy 1966 {also master pre 1966}
Rudolf Draxl 1966
Lionel Joyner 1967 {also master pre 1966} 2401
Walter Dobrich 1969
Peter Nurmi 1973
Robert Wachtel 1974
Leo Williams 1975
Robert Chow 1975 2325
Milan Vukadinov 1976 2390
Joe Oszvald 1976 2313
David Lavin 1978
Peter Murray 1979
Jan Greben 1979 2307
Stephen Ball 1979
Dale Kirton 1979 2312
Victor Dzera 1980
Jan Pajak 1980 2357
David Filipovich 1980 2314
Dan Scoones 1980
Jeff Reeve 1980 2398
Robert South 1981 2316
Fred South 1981 2297
Brian McLaren 1981
John Burstow 1982 2305
Ian Kilgour 1982
Doug Bailey 1984 2323
Jozef Polacek 1984 2345
Jonathan Schaeffer 1984
Paul Brown 1985
Harold Brown 1985 2299
Kevin Pacey 1985 2337
Peter Dauvergne 1985 2296
Paul Janicki 1986
Roger Patterson 1986 2304
Carl Storey 1986 2291
Robert Sasata 1986
Harry Moore 1986 2350
Robin Girard 1986 2311
Glenn Morin 1986 2312
Rehan Huda 1986 2346
Martin Devenport 1986 2300
Arthur Prystenski 1986 2296
Aron Kaptsan 1986
Ian Skulsky 1986
Prosanto Sarkar 1986 2318
Steven Peter 1987 2302
David Southam 1987 2300
Gilbert Sommerfield 1987
Imitiaz Husain 1987
Brian Fiedler 1988
Jeff Coakley 1988
Wayne Barclay 1988
Billy Peckford 1988 2326
John Armstrong 1988
Robert Kiviaho 1988 2369
Arniel Frialde 1988 2297
Zbigniew Okolotowicz 1988
Nicholas Spears 1988
Knut Nevan 1989
Ben Walker 1989
Robert Gardner 1989
Saifudin Kanani 1989
Bobby Palacios 1990
Andrei Moffat 1990
Brad Booker 1991
Mayo Fuentebella 1991
Paul Williams 1991
Assem-Magdy Amin 1992 2358
Laszlo Bekefi 1992 2388
Josip Mihaljevic 1992 2378
Pierre Gladu 1992
Ian McGarrett 1992 2333
Barry Rasmussen 1992
Peter Ferguson 1992 2304
Gevork Taschian 1992
Danilo Marquez 1992 2316
Dale McTavish 1993
Armando Valdizon 1993 2307
George Vlaovic 1993 2330
Sasha Starr 1994
Bill Bogle 1994
Jean-Francois Wen 1994
Bill Evans 1994
Marc Moisan-Plante 1994 2304
Roger Langen 1994
Simon Gravel 1995 2422
Miladin Djerkovic 1995 2385
Kent Loo 1995
John Hallam 1995 2304
Sasha Grumic 1995
Meng Lou 1995
Paul Beckwith 1995
John Ferrar 1996 2314
Anthony Howarth 1996

Erik: Thank you for the work done on this. I think there is a good liklihood we can add these players to the list. I'll see what Vlad and Michael think.

[Erik Malmsten]

Erik: Thank you for the work done on this. I think there is a good liklihood we can add these players to the list. I'll see what Vlad and Michael think.

I'lll still be working on it next week. Adjust dates (those above are based on August and some may have acheived 2200 in the fall of the year before) and go through the other 130 players to find those active as masters; list their high ratings (maybe some others peaked over 2300). Perhaps count per listing as 5 games (as suggested); 5 listings as a master would meet the 24 game rule. I can then give a final date for a guess of 25 games. Some of those other 130 did become regular masters after 1996.

The 2300 rating was very rare before 1990. A possible equivalent, perhaps based on the top something like 1% of the players, would be something like
2200 in 1970
2250 in 1980
2300 in 1990
2350 in 2000
2400 in 2010.

I'll give you a column with province as well when I'll email you the file. If there is regional deflation, should that be taken into account?! For example, a New Brunswick player who for years is 2165-2195 would be a master in Toronto.

[Erik Malmsten]

The TD database does go way back for player's high, around 1986, and automatically giving the Canadian Master title to 2300 players would only require research as to the year, not trying to count 24 (consecutive) games from crosstable to crosstable or magazine to magazine.

from the TD database, asuming a high of 2200=Cdn master:
71 Cdn masters/ 22 over 2299 membership expired before 2000
130 Cdn masters/ 34 over 2299 expired 2000-08
187 Cdn masters/ 69 over 2299 expires 2009-12
29 Cdn masters/ 12 over 2299 expires 2099 (Life)
417 Total/ 137 over 2299 {plus 121 titled players}

The majority of masters are still active.

That's alot of certificates to mail, but will be weeded down to those who haven't played 24 consecutive games at master level.

Looking at historic ratings isn't just about dead guys, but includes many life-long players still active today.

How many of these players were masters before the rating database (1996), thus requiring to go through old magazines:
58/ 71 before 2000
49/ 130 2000-08
60/ 187 2009-23
21/29 2099 (Life)
188/417

Looking at the historical magazines there are 50 more players to consider, who aren't on the TD list, but looks like only 3 strong cases.

Some players are also FIDE-listed for other countries like Oliver Schultz or Ilias Koukounakis. They lived in Canada, should they get the Canadian master title?