Good idea but developing something like this would be insanely difficult.
Suggestion: Fairer Rating System for Involuntary Disconnects
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Thanks for the response!
I get that implementing something like this wouldn’t be trivial, especially when it comes to detecting genuine disconnects versus intentional ones. But platforms already track disconnection patterns (., Chess.com shows connection status, pings, reconnect attempts, etc.), so I wonder if this could build on systems already in place.
Even a limited version, like 1 or 2 "rating-shielded" disconnects per week for accounts with a clean behavior history could go a long way toward protecting fair players without overhauling the whole system.
It’s not about perfection, just softening the blow for players who disconnect without rage quitting or cheating.
Hey all,
I’ve been dealing with a frustrating issue lately on online chess platforms—losing rating points due to internet disconnections through no fault of my own. It’s especially painful when I'm in a winning or equal position, and then boom: connection drops, I get flagged as a loss, and my ELO gets chipped away like I blundered a queen.
I get why platforms do this—to prevent abuse and maintain fairness. But I’d like to suggest a middle-ground rule that could balance things better:
🔄 Proposed Rule:
If a player disconnects and fails to return in time,
The opponent still gains rating points,
The disconnected player does not lose any,
This applies only if the disconnect appears unintentional, as determined by the system (., lag spike, ISP drop, not rage quitting),
Limit the number of these “rating protections” per day/week to prevent abuse.
✅ Why this works:
It’s fairer to players with unstable internet (especially mobile users or those in regions with less reliable connections).
Still rewards the opponent, so no one feels cheated.
Discourages abuse by not letting people “escape” rating losses repeatedly.
It seems like this could be implemented with some smart detection of abnormal disconnection patterns (many platforms already track this). It’s just rough to get punished when it genuinely wasn’t your fault.
What do you think? Would love to hear thoughts, tweaks, or even reasons this might not work. Maybe someone from Lichess or Chess.com could weigh in too?
Thanks for reading!