As CueRanks continues to grow, we have introduced a new ranking method for venues using the Session Format to ensure a fair and competitive structure for all players. This post explains how Session Wins and the new Average Point Differential (APD) system work together to create more accurate rankings during each session.
📌 What Determines Your Session Ranking?
Each player is ranked within the current session based on the following three metrics:
1. Session Wins
This is the total number of ranked match wins a player earns during the current session.
- Every ranked match includes a winner and a loser.
- Wins accumulate over the session.
- More wins = higher ranking.
This is the primary ranking factor.
2. Session Matches Played
This is the number of ranked matches you have played during the session — regardless of the outcome.
This metric helps maintain fairness:
- A player with more wins in fewer matches is weighted higher.
- A player who is active but inconsistent appears lower.
While wins matter most, the number of matches played provides important context and helps align match opportunities across the player base.
Introducing APD (Average Point Differential)
To refine our ranking accuracy even further, CueRanks has added a new tiebreaker: APD — Average Point Differential.
What is APD?
APD measures how strongly a player performed in their matches based on the difference in points each match.
For example:
- If a player wins 5–3, their point differential is +2
- If they lose 4–5, their point differential is –1
APD is calculated by:
Total Point Differential ÷ Total Ranked Matches Played
This gives a fair performance score averaged over the session.
How APD Affects Rankings
APD is only used when two or more players have the same number of Session Wins.
Here’s the ranking priority:
- Session Wins (more wins = higher ranking)
- APD (Average Point Differential) — used only when wins are tied with another player
This ensures:
- Two players with the same wins will not be grouped randomly.
- Stronger wins (larger point spreads) help determine the better overall performer.
- Players who haven’t played any ranked matches yet (Session Total = 0) are automatically placed at the bottom until they participate.
Why We Added APD
APD improves fairness by:
✔ Rewarding players who win consistently and by solid margins
✔ Preventing close wins/losses from being treated the same as dominant matches
✔ Adding transparency to performance
✔ Providing better separation when wins are tied
✔ Preventing logjams on the leaderboard
It also gives players a new statistic to track progress and improvement.
Summary
CueRanks session ranking now uses a balanced combination of:
- Wins
- Matches Played
- APD (Average Point Differential)
This creates a fairer, more competitive environment where both winning and performance quality matter. Whether you’re trying to climb the leaderboard or improve your personal metrics, these stats give a complete picture of how you’re performing throughout the session.
