Tricking the System (Competitions)

[AFatTick]

Edit: Nevermind, this won't work. Thanks for the answers.

So I was browsing through some competition times and I noticed that one DNF doesn't affect your average. I thought: Could someone that just got a horrible time purposely get a DNF so it will not affect their average? Would this theoretically work or has this already been covered?

 

[FinnGamer]

Well the worst time is never counted, so how should it affect the average?

 

[Litz]

It does affect your average. In an average of 5, your best and worst times are cut out. What this means is, if you have 2 DNFs, your average will be a DNF (as one of the DNFs will be averaged with the remaining 2 times).

 

[FinnGamer]

It does affect your average. In an average of 5, your best and worst times are cut out. What this means is, if you have 2 DNFs, your average will be a DNF (as one of the DNFs will be averaged with the remaining 2 times).

What I meant is that one bad time doesn't affect your average any other way then one DNF

 

[AFatTick]

Oh I see, I should do my research better next time xD I thought I was on to something.

 

[Divineskulls]

People shouldn't want to trick the system in the first place. That's called cheating.

 

[TMOY]

No. Exploiting the rules to your best advantage without violating them is not cheating. Getting clever is not a crime...

 

[Ollie]

No. Exploiting the rules to your best advantage without violating them is not cheating. Getting clever is not a crime...

Permission to quote that in my sig?

 

[shelley]

But this doesn't exploit the rules to his advantage. If he goes on to get an even worse time or even DNF, his average gets destroyed. I'm all in favor of people who think they're cheating the system actually putting themselves at a disadvantage.

 

[qqwref]

I can think of three ways to use a DNF to your (slight) advantage.
- If a round has a total time limit (e.g. if first two BLD solves take a total of under 10 minutes, you get a third one) then DNFing partway through a bad solve could give you another chance. Of course, if you have to do this, you are probably not very good at the event anyway.
- Taking at least one DNF or DNS could potentially save enough time to let the competition add another round or event. If that added event/round is a big deal for you (maybe you practice that event a lot?) this could be a clear benefit.
- If an event makes you tired you could potentially improve your performance in other events by DNFing or DNSing some solves. This is especially true in BLD, since you only need one solve and it can be very mentally tiring.

 

[Noahaha]

I generally use the intentional DNF to avoid an embarrassing time on my permanent record, and also just in order to accumulate DNFs. I do have some sup-40 2x2 solves though, so I probably shouldn't be talking.

 

[god of rubic 2]

Today I found out a way to avoid solving a bad scrambled cube, sort of exploiting WCA regulations.

If the timer stops at or below 0.06 seconds, it is considered as a timer malfunction.

If you see a bad scramble and want a different one, you can purposely to attempt to stop the timer within the 0.06 range and get a rescramble.

 

[TMOY]

Doesn't work, sorry.

A6b1) If the timer stops before the end of the solve and the timer shows a time strictly below 0.06 seconds, then the attempt is replaced by an extra attempt. A competitor forfeits his right to the additional attempt if the WCA Delegate determines that the timer was stopped deliberately.

 

[god of rubic 2]

Well that's if the timer stop is obvious. Just by making your hands shaky and getting a 0.03 can be completely perceived as accidental.

 

[Dene]

Well that's if the timer stop is obvious. Just by making your hands shaky and getting a 0.03 can be completely perceived as accidental.

Not news to any delegates around here, and from now on if you get anything under .06 I auto-DNF you. Nice one, Jarvis

 

[god of rubic 2]

Didn't think that one through did I...

Edit: Oh well, all the better for the community