My preference is for the falling system, rather than removal. Although more complicated, it could be expedential ... 0% for the first month, 1/2% for next month, then 1% for third, and so on. The other question is what you would need to do to start on the slippery slid ... just make a move? start a game? finish a game? hmmm

jfa: With regard to not knowing potentially how good someone is, well there is the graph which gives you an idea of how high a person may have risen at one stage, so long as you are a paying member. Even pawns have graphs, just they can't see them.