Do you notice black winning more than white?

This is kind of a silly question, but has anyone else noticed black winning more than white? Particularly in the lower rated sections?

I generally divide my tournaments up into an Open, U1400, U1000. In the U1000 black has a pretty clear advantage, and I’ve seen several instances where black has won in every game (but only rarley does white win every game). The U1400 section has a little less black advantage, and the Open section is about 50/50 (my tournaments don’t normally draw anyone above 1900).

I’ve also had many of the yungsters tell me flat out they play better as black.

Maybe at that level White moves first and therefore commits the first blunder?

Myself use the open, have found more than once, black won all the games during the round.

I don’t know if the ratings committee has any data on this.

Since we don’t collect data on color assignments to rate events, we have no hard data on that issue in the USCF database. (That may have to change later this year, the new FIDE reporting protocol does include color.)

In the absence of hard data but as someone who has directed and observed many scholastic games, my guess is that the lower the rating the less advantage is conferred by having white. Below some point (probably around 800) it may make no difference whatsoever.

The theory that white gets the opportunity to make the first mistake is intriguing.

I think you might be onto something here. I have seen so many scholastic players try 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5?! or even 1.e4 e5 2.Qf3? going for the “cheapo” scholar’s mate. If black just parries the rather silly threats, black winds up with a better position. (Don’t tell me that Nakamura or Parham has successfully played with 2.Qh5; we are dealing with much weaker players here).

At the beginner levels I have seen openings like 1.a4? 1.h4? 1.Nh3? etc. I sometimes see 1.g4? and other such terrible moves.

At the amateur levels these days, sharp (and often dubious) gambits seem to be very popular. Most of the time, it is black that plays these gambits and wins rather quickly with traps they are familiar with.

Overall though, I can’t really agree with the idea that black wins “all” or “most” of the games in a round. I myself have never seen that happeneing at any tournaments I have been to. The win ratio seems to be pretty equal most times.

Have seen it happen a number of times in a round. If its’ going to happen at one of my tournaments, it has the best chance to happen in round three. The tournaments ran as low as eight, to a high of twenty-two – the norm has been around sixteen. Within that group, have a swing of ratings from 800 - 2200 or 1200 - 2200, with the average rating as a high class B tournament. Think its more with the pairings, as the stronger players are due black more than they are due white.