Ladders Question!!

[LostInSpace]

I've never tried a ladder before and was wondering how you get paired up with people.

I was thinking about trying out that SC ladder, but is it better to get in right when it starts, or does it matter?

Do they pick the people you play against, or can you pick them?

If you're a decent player, do you always end up making some money, or can you get shut out right at the start?

[camarofire]

Ladders are a series of PvP challenges. You choose who to play, or your opponent chooses you, if you have not already challenged someone. There is a limit to how high on the ladder you can select your opponent, and the range gets tigher the higher you move up. So if you're in 128th place, you can't challenge the #1 spot for their place. You have to work your way up.

If you didn't play the seeding, you will most likely run into a lot of forfeits along the way to the top (there is no way to decline a ladder challenge) but it is still possible to make it there if there is time. You can win a few dollars along the way, too. So, I wouldn't say it is a bad idea to start late.

I always made money when I played ladders, especially considering the constant stream of rewards points into my account when in the top 50. I think that since you can choose your opponent, the odds of winning money are pretty good.

[dpaull414]

There is a mathematical algorithm that determines how many spots above you on the ladder you can challenge. If you have not already been challenged, you can select any player in the range the formula determines that has not been challenged (or already issued a challenge).

The closer to the top of the ladder, the fewer spots above you you can challenge.

At the bottom of the ladder, action is more sporadic. If you have the patience, what you can do is view the profile of each person above you and try and find somebody who is 'online'. I find challenging people who are online and actively playing will get you more action. HOWEVER, selecting and viewing 100+ profiles before you find somebody online can be very tedious.

If you are really really good at a game, just playing the seeding event and park yourself in the top 50 and enjoy the reward points. Also there is a lot more action up there at the top and if you are skilled you'll find people challenging you you'd be perfectly happy to beat and make some money.

If you are less skilled, join at the bottom and move up very slowly selecting people you know you can beat and if you are especially patient look for online people.

And if you miss the seeding event and you want to get to the top, it's not hard to move up fast if you are skilled. Just look for the first online person furthest away from your position. I've moved up 1000+ spots in 6 days or so on the dynomite ladder (was like 1800 people at the time). And I think I moved up like 800 spots on the recent luxor ladder in 6 days or so too...

I find when you get to the 200 spot or so is where the action really starts. On the SC ladder I look for people in the mid 500's for a top score or lower and I think you'll find that type of player is easy to find until you get to spot 250 or so based on past history. I suck at SC really and couldn't make a dime in a cash game. But on the ladder I can have some fun and make some money but I have 0 chance of going top 50, so i just slowly work my way up the ladder getting whatever action i can.

I've never tried a ladder before and was wondering how you get paired up with people.

I was thinking about trying out that SC ladder, but is it better to get in right when it starts, or does it matter?

Do they pick the people you play against, or can you pick them?

If you're a decent player, do you always end up making some money, or can you get shut out right at the start?

[LostInSpace]

The only big tournament I tried was the SC World Championships. I tried $20 worth than bailed out after semi-choking. I scored like 850s and got 40th place.

When they started those progressives they actually let me play Div II! I did GREAT, until they tossed me into Div I. They let me play for a whole week and I got 1st about 3 times, 2nd 3 times and 4th once, with all my scores in the 870-910 range. I made about $300-400 that week, which is GREAT for me!

I tried the Div I progressives, but so few people play, I'm wasting my money. I scored about and 880 the 1st one I tried, and ended about 7th or 8th for 0 dollars and 0 cents! After that, I decided it was a waste, unless they had enough people to go down to at least 12 or 15 spots. Usually, there's only about 4 or 5 paying spots lately, and you can bet ALL the big dogs will be taking those 99% of the time.

I might be able to slip in occasionally for some cash, but if I'm lucky I'll probably just end up getting my entry fee back, and in the long run... It's a LOSER! And the 5 player games are just a give and take, with probably mostly TAKE, so I don't even try those any more.

It's kind of lousy when you can beat 99.9% of the players, but you can't win anything cause you have to play against the .1%! The big tournaments seem like they're the only way to get any profit (even small profit).

I may give a shot, I'll have to put up a WHOLE $2.25 to find out how it works! Luckily, it's credit cash, so it doesn't cost me anything. I play for fun most of the time, unless I feel like I have a decent shot of making some money. I like playing the games and just going for my high scores, the cash is just a BONUS! I'm not good enough to make a living at this. I'm UP about $1,000, between King and WW, which is probably better than most people, I'm guessing. Except for the people on this board. Most of you are walking computer chips.

Thanks for your help and advice! Any tips GREATLY appreciated!

[dpaull414]

There are some Scrabble experts out there on the boards and they may be able to provide a little more insight, but I'd wager with your scoring ability you could get in the top 50 and cash in some reward points each night. Plus I bet you get a fair amount of action up at the top of the ladder too and can make a little coin.

Take the plunge when they offer the next SC ladder, I think you'll be happy you did! Really if you have any aptitude in any game ladders are a nice place to lurk since you can choose your opponent and at least at the bottom of the ladder there is always somebody you can beat! The only real downside is the forfeit/game credit issue.

The only big tournament I tried was the SC World Championships. I tried $20 worth than bailed out after semi-choking. I scored like 850s and got 40th place.

When they started those progressives they actually let me play Div II! I did GREAT, until they tossed me into Div I. They let me play for a whole week and I got 1st about 3 times, 2nd 3 times and 4th once, with all my scores in the 870-910 range. I made about $300-400 that week, which is GREAT for me!

I tried the Div I progressives, but so few people play, I'm wasting my money. I scored about and 880 the 1st one I tried, and ended about 7th or 8th for 0 dollars and 0 cents! After that, I decided it was a waste, unless they had enough people to go down to at least 12 or 15 spots. Usually, there's only about 4 or 5 paying spots lately, and you can bet ALL the big dogs will be taking those 99% of the time.

I might be able to slip in occasionally for some cash, but if I'm lucky I'll probably just end up getting my entry fee back, and in the long run... It's a LOSER! And the 5 player games are just a give and take, with probably mostly TAKE, so I don't even try those any more.

It's kind of lousy when you can beat 99.9% of the players, but you can't win anything cause you have to play against the .1%! The big tournaments seem like they're the only way to get any profit (even small profit).

I may give a shot, I'll have to put up a WHOLE $2.25 to find out how it works! Luckily, it's credit cash, so it doesn't cost me anything. I play for fun most of the time, unless I feel like I have a decent shot of making some money. I like playing the games and just going for my high scores, the cash is just a BONUS! I'm not good enough to make a living at this. I'm UP about $1,000, between King and WW, which is probably better than most people, I'm guessing. Except for the people on this board. Most of you are walking computer chips.

Thanks for your help and advice! Any tips GREATLY appreciated!

[rahnnyboy]

Players a lot worse than you have been in the top 10.
Trick: challenge players you think you can beat, don't accept challenges from players you know you can't.

I'm doing this on bookworm right now and have been in the top 40 for months. I could eke my way up to top 20, but I'd be losing a few games to do it...no need!
I've probably made 30-40 bucks as a decent bookworm player because of the ladder.

For people that are in your position, ladder can be really profitable.
as for starting early or late, I'd play to qualify once, and then see where you land. If you start at the very bottom, no one will accept your challenges.

Regards,
Rahn

[rahnnyboy]

oh, one other note: if you see someone better than you that hasn't been playing in recent days, throw a challenge at them...it's likely it will expire and you'll move up .

[dpaull414]

That's a very good point.

One other thing I factor in is how long since they played a specific game. So if I see the person last played any game 12 hours ago, but hasn't played scrabble cubes in 10+ days, I'd feel more comfortable challenging somebody with a higher top score. I feel if you don't play a game in a while you get rusty. I think this is especially true in games like Zen Gems. I know if I don't play that game in a few days it takes me a few games to get sharp. And I don't think most people take the time to practice before accepting a ladder challenge.

oh, one other note: if you see someone better than you that hasn't been playing in recent days, throw a challenge at them...it's likely it will expire and you'll move up .

[LostInSpace]

Is there any strategy when you enter the ladder as to landing in a good spot?

Is the strategy different when you enter the ladder at the beginning as opposed to going in after it's been going for a while?

Should I just play the best I can, or should I just coast in with a mediocre game, or does it even make any difference?

I wanted to play some Bookworm games, but I'm not GREAT at it! I'm O.K., but I need to practice more. My best score is just over 150K, but I usually avg under 100K most of the time. Probably 80-90K is my avg score for now. I haven't put that much practice into it, because it feels like a really tedious game to me, especially having to slide that mouse all over the place.

I make typos like CRAZY in that game, because I keep hitting letters I don't want!

[dpaull414]

If you are a reward point freak, I think what some people do is activate their multiplier on the Sunday of the ladder seeding event so you get a 10x multiplier on it. Then on monday when a new seeding event occurs if you are going to join that ladder you can get 10x there as well.

If you start at the bottom of the ladder and work your way up slowly, you can make a little money with no real risk of losing. This is appealing to me in most games because i can't hold a top 50 spot on the ladder & I can't make money in a regular cash game. Basically it's the only way to play a game and make some money safely!

If you do have skills in a game, then just play the seeding event, park yourself in the top 50, accept and issue challenges when you know you are going to win, and collect yourself some reward points!

I haven't joined the current bookworm ladder as I'm wasting time doing other games and bookworm takes too damn long to play. But I will promise you if it's like the previous BW ladders, at the bottom of it you'll have plenty of people to challenge who have top scores < 30,000 and will for some reason accept your challenge and make you profitable.

Is there any strategy when you enter the ladder as to landing in a good spot?

Is the strategy different when you enter the ladder at the beginning as opposed to going in after it's been going for a while?

Should I just play the best I can, or should I just coast in with a mediocre game, or does it even make any difference?

I wanted to play some Bookworm games, but I'm not GREAT at it! I'm O.K., but I need to practice more. My best score is just over 150K, but I usually avg under 100K most of the time. Probably 80-90K is my avg score for now. I haven't put that much practice into it, because it feels like a really tedious game to me, especially having to slide that mouse all over the place.

I make typos like CRAZY in that game, because I keep hitting letters I don't want!