Haudicapping

Haudicapping is the term used in various games and sports to denote the placing of competitors, good, bad, and indifferent, on such a footing that all shall have, as nearly as possible, an equal chance of winning. Thus, in Horse-racing (q.v.), when the speed of one horse has been ascertained to be greatly superior to that of another, the swifter of the two, in a handicap race, is made to carry extra weight to an amount that shall be deemed sufficient to reduce its speed to a level with that of its antagonist. In pigeon-shooting from traps, the more skilful the shooter, the farther back has he to stand from the traps. In games such as chess and draughts, certain 'men' are allowed to the inferior player; in billiards, the better of two allows his antagonist a certain number of 'points'; at cricket, an eleven, such as the eleven of All England, will sometimes play against twenty-two others, the competition being at times very close. In swimming and in pedestrianism, the inferior competitors are allowed a certain 'law,' or start; in yachting, the vessel of greater tonnage is handicapped with lesser ones by allowing them extra time for the performance of the race.