Ladders are suppose to work as follows:

1. The "Top N" players are "sacred" and only accept requests from within the group. In most cases, it is the top 10 players.

2. The top level MUST BE VERY ACTIVE and cannot turn down a game request.

3. If any player on a lower rung (i.e. a higher number) wins over a higher rung (lower number), the winner takes over the rung and the loser drops one place.

Example, Rung 7 defeats Rung 4, then 7 is "teleported" to rung 4, old rung 4 gets demoted to 5, and 5 goes to 6.

So you can get bumped to a worse ladder rung (higher number) even if you yourself have not lost. Every time someone over top of you loses, there is a chance you will go down too.

4. If anyone outside the "sacred" circle wins, like rungs 11 to 100, then the winner moves "half the distance" closer to the loser if starting below the opponent. The loser drops one slot.

Example: Player 80 defeats Player 20. The new spot for Player 80 is 20 + (80 - 20)/2 = 50. Player 20 is then bumped down to 21, 21 to 22, etc.

This is so that someone down the bottom can't just "get lucky" and take over a high spot with one win. You have to "claw your way up" by moving "half the distance" repeatedly.