This has probably been explained before but I'm curious what happened to the rating system about six or nine months ago, specificly in lightning.  I used to be 2100 now around 1700.  I notice a lot of players in the 1700's and even 1600's have their Lightning highest rating in the 2000's (sometimes above 2200).  It seemed to rapidly go up & then rapidly go down.  I went from 1600 or 1700 to over 2000 quite quickly & back down just as fast.

Me too.... i go around 950-1050 back and forth, 5 consecutive wins then come 5 consecutive losses... i just dont know why

Rating formula was changed a while back. There is a topic started by erik about it when it was being discussed. I'm sure somewhere in there is a post about when the actual change was implemented.

Looks like Erik never replied back in that thread.

Hmmmm!! I was on a steady increase until I came close to 1900. (last summer) Then I came back down to upper 1700's, and now am crawling slowly just above 1800. I have been studying, reading, playing my @$$ off. and thought it was me in a slump. I tried increasing my number of games. decreasing my games....etc....I did not know that the math has been tweeked. Oh well, I still play more for the enjoyment of the game then the rating. I have come to the realization that I am too old to compete with the upper echelon and am satisfied to have some good friends to play chess with on this site. Enjoy the game my friends, if your OTB rating is good enough to be making some money, then go for it. Do not get too overly concerned when there is no paycheck on the line.

Agree with RegicidalManiac "I still play more for the enjoyment of the game than the rating. I have come to the realization that I am too old to compete with the upper echelon and am satisfied to have some good friends to play chess with on this site."

It's a fun thing or else I couldn't stomach getting so much licks.

But it's a strange thing of late... my OTB (FIDE rating) has been increasing while my rating here has been decreasing ???!!!

i just push wood for fun sod the ratings