[IKE]

For an event like MSC, the average score was about 79 pts. The equal strength of opposition would then try to balance out your opponents so that on average, you would play opponents whose average contributions would be 79 pts. This would give an average contribution of around 26.3 points. If you were a team with an OPR of 60, the pool of rremaining candidates would now have an average lower than the 26.3, and thus in order to get to the average 79 pts/match of opposition, you would on average have to play a tougher than "random" schedule. If your team had a OPR significantly below 26.3 (some would), then you would have a softer than random schedule as it would require balancing in the other direction. Unfortunately, algorithms must do the groupings at the same time (opponents and partners), and invariably work out the way I discussed (at least on average). While the differences are not huge, there is a shifting that occurrs.

The "dice" example was more of an illustration of the psychological effect that occurs when it comes to "schedule" and preceived unfairness. As you have 2 partners, and 3 opponents, you are 50% more likely to oppose any kind of team than you are to have as a partner.