pauloaguia: A little negative? aren't you?

The point is...If they have a rating, you know their skill level and you can make the decision to play them. You might play a better player to gain skills. You might play a weaker player to gain rating points.

When you play an unrated player, you don't know what type of player they are. But you will have your rating adjusted based on a "Weak" player. So, in this case the unrated player is a VERY good player, yet the rating system "thinks" they are a weak player. So, my ratings took a hard hit.

Because of this, many strong rated players won't play rated games against unrated players. Why would they take the risk?

In answer to your question, pauloaguia, Since they ARE rated I know before starting the game, what I am getting into.