[Player name] (Unrated)

I keep comming up against unrated players when I start a new turn based online game. Games against unrated players don't give me rating improvement when I win, but it kills my rating when I lose. What can I do to prevent this ? 

For tournament games, no way I think - you will be matched according to the teams' ratings.

For open seeks, set your options :

Or, try not worrying about your rating so much; it'll stabilise over time and when it drops, then you're going to get more points for your next few wins anyway. It evens out.

The trend of your rating is more important than its value at any particular time, although I confess I enjoy passing those nice round numbers on the way up. (Even if mostly I get to pass them on the way up again at least once, after I've dropped below them again!)

That's true. Thank you for your quick advice, you've been very helpful :)

Just out of interest, I picked up a seek from an unrated player. Now, I've been here ~six months, and am rated higher than the (I think) 1200 used for unrated players in rating calculations. "Show details" tells me:

Win: +3  Loss: -11  Draw: -4

So while I have no idea of the true strength of my opponent, nothing very dramatic is going to happen to my rating either way. Obviously, winning is to be preferred, but those numbers suggest that I need to win three games against unrated players for every one I lose to ... which, frankly, hardly seems that unlikely.

My usual problem with "unrated" opponents is that they don't play at all and time out with zero moves. My suspicion in such cases is that they really wanted to play live chess but managed to create an online game instead, and can't be troubled to find the 'abort' button.

... as is apparently going to happen here. Lots of completed live chess games; two currently open online games, not moved in either. Ah well, it's only been a few minutes. I _have_ had people take a while to start an online game, but usually they make the first move or two quickly.

True, I've had the same scenario a few times already. Really frustrating, but nothing to do about it.

It makes me reluctant to pick up seeks from unrated players. I suppose I would advise unrated players to pick up other people's seeks rather than issue their own.

Maybe an extra dialog box when an unrated player issues a seek to ask them if they really do want to issue a seek for an online turn based game, but then if they're confused already they'll just say "Yes" and we're back where we were.

Ah, well. I'm trying to reduce my number of games. Not having to play that one won't hurt me; it'll just lurk on my list of games for the next three days then go away.

u know what's the problem with unrated players? that their rating isnt determined. that - a - way, you could be playing a 1900 ( unrated on chess.com ) , but when you lose ( if you do ) your rating will fall as if you lost to a 1200.

Sure, but the Gliko system makes some effort to counteract that: not all 1200 players are equal. One who has been between 1150 and 1250 for three years has a lot more influence on my 1500+ rating than someone playing their first game.

Look at the statistics of a few players, and see what their "Gliko R.D." value is. Then look to see what their rating trend looks like. (That's as much as I know; I've never looked into the rating system any more than that, and am not a statistician.)

Over time, your rating will settle. Even with the odd unrated player tossed in.

Besides, if I lose to a very strong unrated player and my rating drops and then I play you, _I'll_ have a rating which is "too low" and your rating will be effected. Just live with it. We were all unrated once upon a time!

For the people who do not know what it is, and are too lazy to search by themselves : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glicko_rating_system