JCL1973 said:
He has been around 2400-2500 for several years. His east coast competition makes his rating drop to 2300++ but when he went back to LA, his rating went back to 2450. What does that say again? I have no idea based on just this sample though. So, I think that it is really up to individual play style and familiarity with the opponents.
At the 2150-2200+ level, I do not really notice much diffference between either coast's standard at and above that level.
Especially, for a 2400 level player. Greg Bartz, prolly the most legendary of us former Korean amateur TT players, came to LA Open and defeated a perennial 2500 level player to crack through 2400.
In the big tourneys, where people travel and are not in their home area and club, will have much more possibility for difference of results.
There are a lot of factors... unfamiliarity worth players, table and venue light/background/table bounce, sleep (yeah, some people will not sleep right the first night or two away, too much partying (opportunity - different area)... we could go on... but a big tourney is different in many ways.
There is also a lot more pressure to perform in a big tourney... almost everyone you face is extra motivated, unless they are there to goof off and party. If a player has a good history of coming out on top more than not in the big tourneys, that is to me a sign that player is very tourney-tough seasoned and capable solid at his level.
Often, in hte big time tourneys, you need to play several levels above your normal level throughout the long tourney just to have a CHANCE to be even in the semis for your division... and that is WITHOUT ringers in the top end...nearly EVERY good player at their level ups their game in these tourneys most of the time.