Score-based Prizes FAQ

What are the advantages of score-based prizes for players?

The prize for a given score is never shared. Therefore, your prize only depends on your performance. This is different than place-based prizes where things outside of the player's control affect how many people share a given prize.
The prizes do not depend on the number of entries in a section. So, a low turnout in a section does not lead to lower prizes like in a based-on prize tournament.
There is no need to wait for other games to finish to determine how much you have won. Once your game is over, you can receive your check.
Players will be motivated to play for the win. Since the total of the prizes is always higher when the result of a game is decisive, the incidence of quick draws is less.

What are the disadvantages of score-based prizes for players?

In a smaller section it is harder to win every game and earn the largest prize than it is to come in first. But a large section will require a near perfect score to come in first. So the difference for a large section is small. Note that the reason the prize for a perfect score is large is because it is hard. With place-based prizes, a small section would not be able to support a large prize.
You can't just draw games when everyone else draws games. If only place mattered, draws on all the top boards in a section would not really affect your prize chances.

What are the advantages of score-based prizes for organizers?

The average total prize fund in a section will naturally scale with the number of entries. Thus, you don't have to guess how many players will show up in a section.

What are the disadvantages of score-based prizes for organizers?

The actual total prizes the organizer will pay for a tournament is not in the organizer's control. Only after all the games have finished will the total prize fund be known.

What happens to the "extra" money when there are a lot of draws and/or no perfect score?

The average payout for a section strongly depends on the draw fraction. Since in a given event the draw fraction can't be predicted, there will be sections that have above and below average payouts. Overall, sections with a large draw fraction will make up for sections with a low draw fraction.

Why do the higher rated sections get larger prizes for the same score?

The average payout in a section decreases as the draw fraction increases. In general, the higher rated sections have a higher fraction of the games ending in draws. Thus, to compensate for this, the prizes for a given score are larger in the higher rated sections.