The DSS rating (Dynamic Skill Score) is the skill level that Slams tracks automatically for every player. After each qualifying match, Slams calculates a new rating, so you always have an up-to-date and fair picture of the level in your club. As an admin you don't have to do anything for it: enter the result and the rating updates itself.
The scale: 7.0 to 10.0
Slams uses a scale of 7.0 to 10.0. Important to know: a lower number means a stronger player, just like the KNLTB skill rating. New players start at 8.0 by default. The rating is tracked to four decimal places (for example 7.8420), so even small differences stay visible.
What winning and losing do
Win a match and your rating goes down, which is actually progress. Lose and it goes up. How far you move depends on the strength of the opponent:
- Beat a stronger team and your rating moves more.
- Beat a weaker team and the move is small.
- Lose to a weaker team and your level drops faster.
Each match only makes a small adjustment, so a single result won't turn your rating upside down. The team rating is the average of the two players. After the match, each player gets a new rating individually. On the player profile you'll see the rating with a graph of the progress, where an improvement runs upward in the graph.
Which formats count?
Not every format adjusts the rating. Rating-affecting formats are:
- Ladder
- Tournament (group and knockout)
- King of the Court
- Beat the Box
The social formats (Americano, Mexicano and the Mix variants), Team Clash and the League deliberately leave the rating untouched. There, only the standings of that part count. If you want to turn off the rating for a rating format anyway, switch off the count rating option per competition on the settings tab. The results and the standings will still remain.
Setting and adjusting the starting rating
As an admin, when adding players you set a starting rating between 7.0 and 10.0 (8.0 by default). You can adjust it manually later. Players can submit a request through their profile to change their rating, and as an admin you approve or reject it. That way you keep the starting ratings fair without having to decide everything yourself.
Want to know more? Read how to enter scores or how the standings are built up.
