DUPR or the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating is a unique rating system in the sport of pickleball and in this article below we look at the various aspects of this system.
First things first, we will look at what is DUPR in Pickleball?
DUPR or the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating is said to be a very accurate global pickleball rating system in which all players are rated. Based on the Elo rating, the DUPR includes all players – those from every age and gender, location or skill levels.
This rating system incorporates various factors in deciding the player’s ratings and a player is rated on a scale of 2.00 to 8.00.
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Who Founded the DUPR in Pickleball?
Steve Kuhn, who also founded the Major League Pickleball, is the inventor of the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating.
Why is the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating Called so?
The DUPR or the Dreamland Universal Pickleball Rating system was invented by Steve Kuhn, who is the owner of Austin, Texas’ Dreamland. Dreamland is a family amazement venue with more than a dozen pickleball courts on show.
Who All Can Have a DUPR?
Everyone who has played a documented pickleball match can have a DUPR or a pickleball rating of this kind.
While one match against a player with a DUPR is all it takes for a new player to get rated, it usually takes anywhere between five to 10 matches for the rating to be more accurate.
How Does the DUPR System in Pickleball Work?
The DUPR system can be used by anyone and everyone who plays pickleball, whether it’s a part of a sanctioned tournament or a recreational match.
You only need to have played one match and register it on to the DUPR system to have a rating, but to get a more accurate rating you need to play at least half a dozen matches.
The DUPR system works only when you play against a player who is already rated but that doesn’t mean your results against other unrated players don’t count. Those results will be added retroactively once you get rated or your previously-unrated opponents do.
This system is based on Elo Algorithm, which is more commonly used in chess as well. The Elo rating system, named after its inventor Arpad Elo, gives points to the winner but also takes points away from the loser.
What’s interestingly to note is that the points allocated to the winner and taken away from the loser depends on the relative strengths of the two players/teams in action.
So a player with a 4.00 rating on the DUPR will earn a lot more defeating a player with a rating of 7.00 than what if the better-ranked player won that same match. Much like the Elo rating system, the DUPR system is also a comparative or a relative rating system rather than an absolute one.
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What is DUPR Rating System Based on?
Three main factors constitute the DUPR Rating System in Pickleball. These are as follows:
- Result (Win or Loss)
- Points Won (the margin of win or defeat also plays a part)
- Type of Match (recreational, league match, sanctioned v unsanctioned tournament etc)
Interestingly, a win might not guarantee your DUPR will go up, because the margin of victory is also taken into account.
For instance, if a player is expected to win 11-3, 11-4 according to this system and ends up with a 11-8, 11-7 win, there is a possibility of the winning player’s rating going down. This will also depend on the losing player’s results in the future matches.
According to the DUPR system, a player needs to score at least six points for that match to count towards both players’ rating. If there’s a withdrawal before any one of the players can reach six points, it won’t count.
Do All Games Count Towards a Player’s DUPR Rating?
There are a few exceptions to which pickleball matches make it through to getting counted towards a player’s DUPR Rating.
For singles matches, if the two opponents have a difference of more than 0.5 on the DUPR Rating charts, the match isn’t counted for it.
Similarly, for doubles matches, if the DUPR Rating of the two partners is more than 1.5 or the difference in the average rating between the opponents is more than 0.75 then the match is excluded from getting counted.
Are Two Players with One DUPR Rating of the Same Skill Level Irrespective of their Age?
Yes. Essentially if a 24-year-old player with a DUPR of 3.5 is compared with a 55-year-old with the same DUPR, they are expected to be of the same skill level.
How Does the Half Life Principle Work in the DUPR System?
Essentially the Half Life Principle is based on the concept that more recent results count for a lot more and there is an exponential change in the ratings based on how far ago was a match played.
Final Words on DUPR in Pickleball
DUPR is one of the best, if not the best, methods of rating pickleball players at every level. Based on the Elo system, DUPR uses the results of the matches played which are uploaded by the players, clubs, tournament organizers, associations and federations and with the system available for free online.
