Playgrade supports 7 different ranking systems for ladders. Choose the one that fits your group's competitive style.
Beat someone above you and take their spot.
Players are ranked by position on a ladder. When a lower-ranked player beats a higher-ranked player, the winner takes the loser's position and everyone between shifts down by one. If the higher-ranked player wins, positions stay the same. This creates a simple, intuitive system where beating better players is the only way to climb.
The ladder has 8 players. Player #5 challenges and beats Player #2. Player #5 moves to position #2. Players #2, #3, and #4 each shift down by one (becoming #3, #4, #5). Player #1 and players #6-#8 are unaffected.
Small to medium groups (5-30 players)
Casual club ladders
When simplicity matters most
Ladders where players know each other
Challenge range (how far above/below you can challenge)
Challenge direction (above only or both directions)
Rematch restrictions
Response and match deadlines
Penalty mechanism:
Position swaps plus bonus points for games won.
Combines the position-based mechanics of Leap Frog with a points overlay. When a lower-ranked player wins, positions swap exactly as in Leap Frog. Additionally, both players earn points based on games won during the match. Points accumulate over the season and serve as a tiebreaker. This rewards competitive play even in losses.
Player #5 beats Player #3 with a score of 6-4, 6-3. Positions swap: #5 moves to #3, old #3 and #4 shift down. The winner also earns 12 game points (6+6) and the loser earns 7 game points (4+3). Over the season, these points help differentiate players at the same position.
Ladders that want both position movement and point tracking
Competitive club environments
When you want to reward close matches for the loser
All Leap Frog options (challenge range, deadlines, etc.)
Points are automatically calculated from game scores
Penalty mechanism:
Admin-defined scoring table. Total points determine rank.
The organizer configures a custom scoring table that defines how many points are awarded for match wins, set wins, game wins, upsets, and other scenarios. After each match, points are automatically calculated and added to each player's total. Rankings are determined by total accumulated points, highest first. This gives organizers full control over incentives.
The admin sets: match win = 10 pts, set win = 3 pts, game win = 1 pt. Player A wins 6-3, 6-4 and earns 10 (match) + 6 (sets) + 12 (games) = 28 points. Player B earns 0 (match) + 0 (sets) + 7 (games) = 7 points. After 5 rounds, the player with the most total points leads the ladder.
Organized leagues with specific scoring needs
When you want to weight different aspects (sets, games) differently
Round-robin style play
Open play ladders with group sessions
Points per match win/loss
Points per set won
Points per game won
Upset bonus points
Forfeit penalty
Weekly point cap
Penalty mechanism:
Rival-style scoring that rewards activity and upsets.
A sophisticated point system inspired by competitive league formats. Every player earns participation points just for playing. The challenger gets a bonus for initiating the match. Winners earn additional points based on the rank difference with their opponent and the margin of victory. Losers earn points from games won. This system rewards both playing frequently and winning against strong opponents.
Player #8 challenges Player #3 and wins 6-4, 6-2. Both earn 2 participation points. Player #8 gets +2 challenger bonus. As an upset win (rank diff = 5), Player #8 earns 15 base + rank bonus + margin bonus = ~30 total points. Player #3 earns 2 (participation) + 6 (games won) = 8 points. Over a season, the most active and successful players accumulate the most points.
Competitive ladders with 10+ players
When you want to incentivize frequent play
Ladders where challenging stronger players should be rewarded
Season-long competitive leagues
Participation points per match
Challenger bonus
Base points for upset/expected/same-rank wins
Winner and loser point caps
Rank difference cap for bonus calculations
Whether losers earn game-based points
Penalty mechanism:
Glicko-2 based rating on a 1.0-10.0 scale.
Players are ranked by their Playgrade Rating, a Glicko-2 based rating that adjusts after every match. The algorithm considers opponent strength, match result, and rating uncertainty. New players start with a provisional rating based on self-assessment. Ratings converge toward a player's true skill level over time. Bigger upsets produce larger rating swings.
A player rated 5.2 (moderate confidence) beats a player rated 6.1 (high confidence). The winner's rating increases to approximately 5.5, while the loser's drops to about 5.9. If the 6.1-rated player had won (expected result), ratings would barely move. A new provisional player (marked with P) has larger swings until their rating stabilizes after ~10 matches.
Ladders that want scientifically accurate skill measurement
Cross-ladder or cross-club comparisons
When players have widely varying skill levels
Long-running ladders where accuracy matters more than simplicity
Initial rating is based on self-assessment
Rating updates are fully automatic based on the Glicko-2 algorithm
Provisional threshold (number of matches before rating is established)
Penalty mechanism:
Admin assigns points after each session. Full control.
The ladder admin manually enters point awards after each round, session, or match. There is no automatic calculation. Rankings are determined by total accumulated points, highest first. This gives organizers complete flexibility to handle any scoring scenario, including formats not natively supported by the platform.
After a weekend round-robin session with 8 players, the admin awards: 1st place 25 pts, 2nd 20 pts, 3rd 15 pts, 4th 12 pts, and participation 5 pts for all others. A player who has attended 4 sessions and consistently placed well accumulates a high total and leads the ladder.
Unusual scoring formats
When the organizer wants maximum control
Box leagues or round-robin sessions scored offline
Ladders with external tournament integration
Fully manual: admin decides all point values
No automatic calculations
Penalty mechanism:
Ranked by win rate. Tiebreaker: most matches played.
Rankings are determined purely by win percentage (wins divided by total matches played). Players who win more of their matches rank higher. When two players have the same win percentage, the one who has played more total matches is ranked higher, rewarding consistent participation. A minimum match requirement can be set before a player appears in standings.
After 3 weeks: Player A has 7 wins out of 10 matches (70%). Player B has 6 wins out of 8 (75%). Player C has 3 wins out of 4 (75%). Rankings: 1st Player B (75%, 8 matches), 2nd Player C (75%, 4 matches), 3rd Player A (70%, 10 matches). Player B beats Player C on the tiebreaker because they've played more matches.
Simple ladders focused on win rate
When all opponents are roughly equal strength
Short-duration ladders or trials
Office or school leagues
Minimum matches required to be ranked
No scoring configuration needed
Penalty mechanism:
| System | Metric | Auto-update | Configurable Scoring | Best For | Penalty Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leap Frog | Position | Yes | No | Small to medium groups (5-30 players) | Position drop |
| Leap Frog Plus | Position + Points | Yes | No | Ladders that want both position movement and point tracking | Position drop |
| Custom Points | Total Points | Yes | Yes | Organized leagues with specific scoring needs | Points deducted |
| Competitive Points | Total Points | Yes | Yes | Competitive ladders with 10+ players | Points deducted |
| PGR (Playgrade Rating) | PGR Rating (1.0-10.0) | Yes | No | Ladders that want scientifically accurate skill measurement | Rating decreases naturally from losses |
| Manual Points | Total Points | No (manual) | No | Unusual scoring formats | Admin discretion |
| Win/Loss Percentage | Win % | Yes | No | Simple ladders focused on win rate | Win rate decreases from losses |