It really shouldn't matter. Because in 10 or so games down the line, any possible advantage you would have gained would be unnoticable. Your rating will even itself out to where you belong.
Basically, I don't think you should be cruel to someone, and purposely delay a game just to get the 'most' out of your rating :P . I say play the games as they come. You win some, you lose some. And certainly don't worry about it!
I agree, it doesn't really matter, I was just curious because I don't understand them completely.
And for the record, I agree that manipulating the clock by intentionally waiting until the last second to move is cruel for any reason. In this particular case I have informed him that it is his victory however he wants it. I can peacefully surrender now or go down fighting, the choice is actually his.
I take it that I am not the only person who does not completely understand the ratings shifts. Can no one tell me what the 2 possible scenarios above could result in?
This is not about dragging a game out just to manipulate ratings. Both of them will be concluded today. I just want to know if I should hit the surrender button in game 1 before or after game 2 times out. I only play a few games at a time, so whatever my rating is, it usually stays that way for a while. This will be a rare exception to the rule.
Now theoretically, my opponent could sign back in and make his move before time runs out (unlikely tho since it's set for 14 days/turn with only a few hours left and he has timed out of a dozen games since his last move) and/or my other opponent could choose to play it out to mate instead of taking a resignation. In either case, my question would become a mute point.
I see this as similar to a game in which you are preparing to move 2 different pieces in for a checkmate. However, if you move piece B before piece A then the other player is able to make move C which would prevent the mate. Whereas moving piece A before piece B would prevent him from making move C and force him into move D thus securing the mate.
Like I said, I'm still learning and just trying to understand. Thanx.
This is an interesting question from a mathematical standpoint.
The answer is also dependent of your ratings compared to your opponents. If the game that you are going to lose, you have a higher rating than your opponent than you will take a greater ratings drop than if his rating is higher than yours. This same logic applies to the game that you are winning, you will make a greater leap in rating points if your opponent is rated higher than you.
You need to look at the ratings adjustments in the game and do the math if you want to see where this works out the best, I am unsure if your rating adjustment changes during games that are still in progress when you finish one.
Regardless of how it happens I agree with hybyrdy, given time things will even out. While this is theoretical discussion, my other thought on manipulating things in general is karma has a way of interjecting itself.
You're 1460/RD=162, and the question is whether to take the win over the 1538/RD=64 before the loss to the 1542/RD=81 or vice-versa. Now you have all the variables you need to do the math. The formula is explained here, in case you or someone else really wants to derive the answer. I'm curious... but not that curious. :)
It's not straightforward which order will result in a higher rating for you. In fact, I would have to see your RD to know for sure and this requires me to be a platinum member.
Since you haven't played many games I will assume your RD is high and will change a bunch with one game. In this case it's probably better to win first and lose second and the rating change when you win will be calculated when your RD is much higher than the rating change calculated when you lose. Make sense?
If your RD was low and not changing much with each game, then it is probably better to lose first and win second. This is because your rating change is calculated based on the difference between your rating and your opponent's rating. If you lose first and win second then the gain of points is calculated with a lower rating. In general, your most recent games affect your rating more, your older games are shielded by the recent ones. Make sense?
You're 1460/RD=162, and the question is whether to take the win over the 1538/RD=64 before the loss to the 1542/RD=81 or vice-versa. Now you have all the variables you need to do the math. The formula is explained here, in case you or someone else really wants to derive the answer. I'm curious... but not that curious. :)
You know when they say curiosity killed the cat, well in this case it was a migraine from looking at the complex formulas for calculating ratings, I knew flunking calculus was going to come back and haunt me.
I will go back to playing chess and only care about my rating as a means of judging my own improvement.
You're 1460/RD=162, and the question is whether to take the win over the 1538/RD=64 before the loss to the 1542/RD=81 or vice-versa. Now you have all the variables you need to do the math. The formula is explained here, in case you or someone else really wants to derive the answer. I'm curious... but not that curious. :)
Thank you Mr. Platinum Member for supplying the RD #s that none of us could see. Of course even after reading that "explanation" I have no idea where or how to plug those numbers in to even begin doing the math. I know I haven't had a math class since the Reagan Administration, but that really hurt my brain. Thank God for computers. :)
For those who are interested: the one game timed out before my other opponent could express his preference (resignation or checkmate) so I got the win 1st. Before the win, when I clicked on "show rating adjustment" it said that I would gain 75 points, and it actually gave me 76. Before the win, it said that I would lose 48 points in the other game, and now it says I will lose 52. For some reason I was thinking that if we were closer in ranking (1536 to 1538) the rating adjustment would be smaller, but it got bigger simply cuz my rating went up - duh.
So scenario #1: 1460 + 76 = 1536 - 52 = 1484
Scenario #2: 1460 - 48 = 1412 + ? = ?
I guess we will never know how Scenario #2 might have played out. My guess is that the adjustment for winning would have gone up from it's original 76 points and would have pushed me over 1500. As it stands, I'll only be over 1500 for a minute before dropping back under again. Oh well. Not the first time I made the wrong decision. Doubt it will be the last. And in the long run, as we have all said, it doesn't really matter. Thanx for all the help, everybody.
Ok, I know that for the most part ratings don't matter much, and for the most part, I just let whatever happens happen. However, I am involved in 2 games right now, one that I am about to win and one that I am about to lose. Normally I do not have this option, but if I could choose, would it be better for me to lose the first game and win the second, or win the first and lose the second? Or would it end up the same regardless?
More specifically:
Would it be better to have a rating of 1412 when you defeat a 1538?
Or have a rating of 1535 when you lose to a 1542?