here is where the flaw is. lets say i get lucky and get a 2500 rating to start, playing against average players. at this point there is no motivation to playing high ranked players ever again! and thus i will only play new players or low ranked players that have very little chance of winning. also in chess you are placed in sections with other similarly ranked players where you cannot avoid them. and eventually you will lose. these are open games not tourneys. in tourney play the rankings work perfectly but when you can pick and choose your opps they fail. ive been trying to face players and usually they turn down the game invitation in fear of losing ranking points.