[Richard Jefferies]

I finally joined IDPA and shot my first match as a member yesterday. I have shot a couple of IDPA matches before, so I did have some idea what to expect, and I also have done quite a bit of IPSC shooting back from '87 to '94. I'm shooting my Colt 1991A1 in the CDP class.

I have a question about match results. I'm used to seeing IPSC results, where there is a clear overall winner. The results I received by e-mail show certain things, but it's hard to determine just how well I did. For instance, in total raw time, I was 26th out of 38 shooters. However, in points down, I was 7th. The guy who was first in raw time was 36th in points down. The fellow who was first in points down was 14th in raw time.

Is there some way I can make a bit more sense of these results? FWIW, I'm pleased with my results. I had a brain fade on one stage that threw my timing off, causing me to probably add 10 seconds to my overall time without including the 3 point procedural penalty I incurred for holding my partially empty mag in my hand instead of dropping it in my pocket, but I still shot respectably with only 10 points down out of 5 stages. I like that the Vickers system tends to reward accuracy more than speed because that's what counts IRL. I still wish, however, that there was some way to make a more linear and understandable table of results instead of having it broken into so many categories by Division and such...

 

[Fernando Coelho]

To add to the confusion, you have top competitors in different divisions fighting it out for victory. You end up with a winner in each division but then of course there is “high overall”. Then when some of these top shooters can’t win in their chosen division, they move over to a division where the competition is less fierce. Kinda funny actually.

 

[Daniel Watters]

Richard's Overall Results

Richard: Donald lists the Overall Match results in the following order: CL (Classification) Total (Total Score) 01 (Stage 1 Score) 02 (Stage 2 Score) 03 (Stage 3 Score) 04 (Stage 4 Score) 05 (Stage 5 Score) R (Overall Rank)

Remember that your scores are Time + Penalties. Each Point dropped on the target equals a half-second added to the raw time.

You placed 23rd out of 38 shooters in June. Out of the CDP shooters, you placed 4th out of 10.

In July, you placed 14th out of 27. Out of the CDP shooters, you placed 2nd out of 6.

P.S.: Did you happen to notice what Lee Rouse has been shooting in CDP?

 

[DM-SC]

Perhaps I've put Richard in information overload with all of the numbers that I send out. The first thing I list is the final scores listed by Division/Classification/Total Score. That's the total score and the one we use to determine placement.

I also include listings of shooters ranked by total raw time for the match and also by total points down for the match. I don't include a listing of shooters ranked by penalties and they are not included in either the raw time or points down listings. These two listings are for information puproses only. Some of our shooters started requesting the information after they had seen it listed at sanctioned matches. It is very possible (in fact it happens quite a bit) that a shooter ranks much higher on one lisitng than on the other.

IDPA scoring is really quite simple...total time + acurracy penalties (.5 x number of points down) + other penalties = final score. I think the Vickers count scoring method rewards accuracy over speed only if the shooter shoots just slow enough to not have any misses. Misses (especially with a failure to neutralize), hits on non-threats and procedural penalties all play a part in the overall equation.

Compared to IPSC, it's REALLY easy. :shock:

 

[Richard Jefferies]

I've got a better hang of how the scoring system works now, and better know my standing. One thing that will help is to shoot the classifier and get my ranking.

IDPA scoring is much simpler than IPSC-no "hit factor" (grading on a curve.) Best of all, it DOES indeed reward accuracy over speed. I well remember listening to Merle Edington and Bob Baily discuss an IPSC stage in which they both decided that ripping through it with a couple or three C hits would give them a better score than slowing down and shooting all A's. I just don't like that. Of course, IDPA does give you a chance to at least "game" a stage in your head. I'd like to see a match set up where there are 5 secret courses of fire that the competitors can't see until they are ready to shoot. No walk throughs, etc.; just solve the problems as best you can given the physical layout.

Dan, I don't remember what Lee was shooting. It was a smaller gun, IIRC, either a 9 or .40.