Analysis of handicaps from the teams' point of view

The results of each team in each division were analysed for all matches where every set in the match was played to completion. The team handicap was added to the games won for each team in the match and the difference between the two values obtained was taken as the result. The difference is positive for the team that has a bigger value (won) and negative for the other team. If the handicaps were a valid indication of all the players’ ability, the calculated difference should be close to zero.

From the results for each team in every division, the difference between the two values for all matches played to completion was analysed for the average value, the median value and the standard deviation of these differences. The average value is the sum of the differences divided by the number of items. The median value is the centre value of the differences, where there are an equal number of values greater than and less than the median value. The Standard Deviation is a measure of how close to the average value all the differences are located. Ideally the average and median values should be zero and the standard deviation should be small.

Since changing one team's handicap affects the results for all teams in the division in different ways, an adjustment value was used to see what the results would have been if the teams' handicaps had been different. This adjustment was changed to get the average difference for all teams in a division to be between +0.5 and -0.5 at the same time. Then the adjustment was changed to get the sum of all the standard deviations of the teams in a division as small as possible, that is to try and make the deviation of the differences from the average value as small as possible over all teams in the division.

The adjustment value gives an indication of which teams in the division need to have their handicaps adjusted and how much adjustment they need. This is used along with the data on the individuals' results to decide whose handicap should be changed. The handicaps are only adjusted to try and make the games difference with handicap as small as possible and does not necessarily reflect the ability of one team to beat another. If one team has a much smaller handicap than their opponents, they would be expected to win more games, more sets and probably the match, even if both teams played to their handicaps.

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Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in Saturday mixed competitions in the first half of 2008.

Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in Saturday mixed competitions in the second half of 2008.

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Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in the first Wednesday night men's competition of 2008.

Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in the third Wednesday night men's competition of 2008.

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Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in Saturday mixed competitions and

the Wednesday night men's competition in the second half of 2007.

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Click here for the analysis of the handicaps of teams playing in Saturday mixed competitions and

the Wednesday night men's competition in the first half of 2007.

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