Summertop: The ratings in all games are very hard to understand.You try to get a game up,then bang 1 game and its over,very frustrating you don't no who to play and who not to.

CRY ME A RIVER: Well, actually, it was two games. I am going to lose over a hundred points off my rating.

Summertop: If the player was rated 500 for instance, would you play against him/her?

• If not, then you can choose not to play against unrated players as well.
  
• If yes, then you'd probably have lost a whole lot more than 56 points. So why do you complain here? ;)

pauloaguia: IT IS OUR RIGHT TO DO SO

CRY ME A RIVER: .
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pauloaguia: IT IS OUR RIGHT TO DO SO

Yes of course! I'm with you! I heavily compain to Fencer that allows unrated players to play games versus rated players!!!!!!!
Fencer you should put an end to this! Don't ever allow unrated players to play with rated ones. Even if both sides want this..... Consider this as a feature request by me. It's my right to ask this....
Also another very useful thing would be if unrated players would not be able to play at Mondays! It's my right to ask this and as a paying member i do....


Also a tip to CRY ME A RIVER and Summertop:
If you don't want to play with an unrated player you have the option to do it and don't play.....
If you want to play with an unrated player you have the option to do it and play.....

Pythagoras: It wasn't so long ago that I was unrated at all variants here--it's so recent that I still remember it :) It would have been a shame if all rated players would have refused to play me for that reason (as it would have been their right to do). I'm thankful to all of those who took the risk and to those who shed some rating points. On my part, I've never blocked unrated opponents from my game invitations. I remember where I came from!

wetware: Unfortunately, Pythagoras's sarcasm probably came off a little too straight-laced. That's one of the main problems with typed sarcasm--there's a very fine line separating it and something that sounds real. Although, I think his final suggestion of non-rated players not being able to play on Mondays kinda put it over the top.

jurek: I understood the sarcasm, and didn't mean to take issue with that insightful message. My mistake was to reply only to Pythagoras, although there were a number of distinct and thoughtful postings on that subject.

jurek: It was pretty obviously sarcasm. After all if we only let unrated players play each other they would become rated, but the ratings would be meaningless.

when unrated players play rated players, The unrated players will get a more accurate rating. Unfortunately, the rated player may take a hit for playing. I just think the rating formula should be updated so rated player's don't get adjusted if the opponent isn't rated.

Summertop: A better solution may be to wait until the player gets a rating, then apply that rating to the game you played against them. Unfortunately that requires some more complex programming though.

grenv:  Yeah, that would be too complicated.  Basically, I think we need a solution that allows raved vs unrated players to have fair ratings.  Right now there are only two solutions:

1. Rated plays against unrated players, but takes a risk if the unrated player is a good player.  Unfair for the rated player.
2. Rated player refuses to play against unrated players.  Unfair for the unrated player.
   

Summertop: If the unrated player can enter a tournament, then he will have the opportunity to play against rated players. Some tournaments do allow unrated players to enter, and rated opponents cannot refuse to play.

alanback: But that is even more of a reason to why games against unrated players should not effect the rated players rating. They may not notice when signing up for a tournament that some newbie to Brainking with an IQ of 1000 signed up for the rournament.

mctrivia: I love to play against opponents with an IQ of 1000

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.