Field Strength: Why Beating Strong Traders Counts More
How field strength works in the PnL World Rating (PWR): opponent level, verified share and field size — the formula, worked examples and why it matters.
A win against a deep field of strong, verified traders should be worth more than a win at a near-empty table. In the PnL World Rating (PWR), that difference is made by field strength — a multiplier applied to every rated result.
Points for a result = format weight × place share × field strength
This article shows exactly how field strength is calculated.
The three parts
Field strength is the product of three factors, each measured for your opponents in that tournament:
Field strength = opponent level × verified share × field size
1. Opponent level
How highly rated your opponents are, using the median PWR of your opponents:
opponent level = 0.5 + 0.5 × (median opponent PWR ÷ 1,000), never below 0.4
At launch this factor is capped at 1.0. If the cap changes as the league grows, the change will be announced with its date before it applies.
| Median opponent PWR | Opponent level |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0.50 |
| 200 | 0.60 |
| 500 | 0.75 |
| 1,000 and above | 1.00 (cap) |
2. Verified share
How many of your opponents are verified — confirmed unique people:
verified share = 0.6 + 0.4 × (share of verified opponents), at most 1.0
| Verified opponents | Factor |
|---|---|
| none | 0.60 |
| half | 0.80 |
| all | 1.00 |
3. Field size
How many traders you finished against. The factor grows with the logarithm of the field and reaches 1.0 at sixteen traders:
field size = ln(field) ÷ ln(16), at most 1.0
| Field | Factor |
|---|---|
| 2 | 0.25 |
| 4 | 0.50 |
| 8 | 0.75 |
| 16 or more | 1.00 |
Worked examples
A deep, strong field. Sixteen traders, all verified, median opponent PWR 1,000: 1.00 × 1.00 × 1.00 = 1.00 — the winner of a PnL Monthly takes the full 1,000 points.
A small, new field. Eight traders, half verified, median opponent PWR 200: 0.60 × 0.80 × 0.75 = 0.36 — the same PnL Monthly win is worth 360 points.
A near-empty table. Two traders, the opponent unverified with no rating: 0.50 × 0.60 × 0.25 = 0.075 — a win is worth 7.5% of the format weight.
Why it matters
- Empty-lobby farming doesn't work. Winning against nobody brings almost nothing.
- Strong events matter most. The best way to climb is to finish high where the field is deep — usually the long flagships, PnL Monthly, PnL Quarterly and the PnL World Championship.
- Points mean the same thing across eras. As the league grows and ratings rise, field strength rises with it. Early wins against young fields count for less, which keeps the top of the ranking fair for everyone who comes later.
FAQ
Why median and not average opponent PWR? The median is not pulled up by one very strong opponent or down by many inactive ones.
Does my own rating affect my field strength? No. It is measured on your opponents only.
Why did a win give me fewer points than the format weight? Because field strength was below 1.0 — usually a small field or opponents who are not yet verified or rated.
PnL World tournaments are simulated: trades are executed against live market data, but no real-money positions are opened on any exchange. Nothing here is financial advice.
Next: PnL World Rating (PWR) explained · Why trading contests get gamed