Protected players

What is a protected player?  Protected from what?

My guess is this has something to do with a 1200 player making a challenge to 1900?  Why would he/she be afraid of a 1200?  LOL

I'm thinking if you put your name out on the public challenge board, you're taking on all comers.  I know I do.  I don't care if you're 300 or 2300 if I'm the open challenge board, you click on my name I'm coming.  I'm lining up.  I won't click any player rated less than me if it's 5 points on that graph, but you can write it down if a 500 elo clicks on me I'm going in.

I like to play better players but its hard to get anyone rated more than 200 than me to play, and the higher his elo the less likely he is play someone like me.  I don't send out cold challenges, but if I see a 2000 on that open challenge board I'm gonna find out just how good he is, but mostly they won't engage.  

I know I'm not very good, but trying to get better and every once in a while I beat a 700-1000 pts better than me.  I'll play them rated or unrated doesn't matter.  Most of the time I get it handed to me, but I learn something.

I'm a old guy at 66, been playing just a few months.  I've been a jock all my life and coached baseball and football with success, so I don't understand the concept of ducking.

Check out the following for one set of reasons.

https://support.chess.com/article/670-how-can-i-challenge-a-titled-player

I think you might get a similar message if you try to challenge someone that has incompatible Incoming Challenges settings and you're outside their range.

Not 100% sure how the seek graph may impact it.

I understand a guy like me sending a challenge to Magnus is a waste of his time, but if a guy puts a open challenge on that graph thing, then why do so many back out when they see ME lol.  I guess it's not really a open challenge, just a challenge to certain people, and in that case just let the software pick you a opponent it does a pretty good job making it fair.

But if Magnus ever put his green dot up on that graph thing I guarantee I'll click it.

They must think me a dangerous man lol

That's true Rat.  Currently I am rated 1265.   I lurk the that graph thing, and looking for 1600-2000 players, I'll click their dot the instant I see them pop on.   Most of the time they mop the floor with me, but every once in awhile I win.  In the weeks I've been doing this  my rating has improved, because when I drop back to a players of my ability, it seems easy.

From this I have learned my tactics and strategy are good, but I blunder too much, often in winning positions, and fail to account what my opponent is trying to do.