Lovely Sharon, you make a good opint with "Is there any thought to a "top" player's life or schedule.... perhaps they don't have time to play all challengers... ... why don't people get to be a "top" player themselves by winning games on their own accord???..."

however, that is not the reason I was given. THe reason I was given was "I won't play you because you might win." in other words-- (my paraphrase): "I won 5 games, all as player 1, and now I will just sit here and play only the weakest players so that My rating never goes down."

It is difficult to move from the 2 spot into the 1 spot of thep erson in the 1 spot who is 80 points ahead refuses to play.

But, Sundance makes a good point about the long term raitngs, so before too long, this fruad will be a distant memory.