Unfair matching

It seems that I am paired often against players that are mucht stronger than I am.

Why?

Your games list of the last 20 or so you have played shows that your rating has remained 1400-1500 during this time. Of those 20 games not once have you played against someone rated over 1500. 

No, but my max. rating is 1500+.

The players I played against many times had max. ratings of 1700 - 1800.

The opponents found can only be based on current rating.

Highest Rating

1536

Dec 18, 2020

Best Win

1557

bhaweshkumar

Avg. Opponent Rating

1454

3 months

Average Opponent Rating when I:

Won

1431

Lost

1467

Draw

1465

* Average for last 90 days

See here your stats...average opponent rated 1454. Sounds a pretty reasonable level of opponent for you to me. 

Isn't it an honour to play with players of a higher rating?

Last 15 games:

My highest rating: 1536

My opponents highest ratings: 1644 - 1729 - 1552 - 1491 -1586 - 1779 - 1550 - 1646 - 1523 - 1654 - 1615 - 1709 - 1582 - 1646 - 1800 - 1636

13 are higher than me!

You can set your opponents rating in settings, for example - 50 and + 50, so you will play someone who can be 1480 to 1580 for example. I hope it is going to help you

Wait where can I do that specifically?

Settings -> live chess and then just scroll down (there is option for opponents challenges and your challenges). I have only setting in incoming challenges. But I am on my laptop, Idk if it is same for phones if you are on your phone

This has nothing to do with stats (in this case!). (Or with lack of education???)

The circle SEEMS ok! Won and lost games are almost even, so the pairing of games seems fair.

But when I check the highest playing strength of my opponents, by far the most of them are much stronger than I am. That is the point!

From that point of view I play quite well.

that was 16 games and 14 were higher than you

But how can the system match you with opponents based on their highest ever rating? This is impossible and also a nonsense - what about all those who join and set their rating to 1800 then drop down to 1400? The rating is a reflection of your current level. 

The peak rating of your opponents has no relevance in match making. All that matters is the current rating. 

At this moment I am a 1400+ player.

If there are five 1400+ players available for a match, then let the system choose the player with a fair match at peak level. That would be the solution.

Now I encounter 1700+ and even 1800 players (7  times today) and get totally swept away.

Thats a good idea. But at the same time more parameters would make the match making a bit longer

For goodness sake...you have played 15 games today, again none of your opponents have been rated above 1500 currently. Your record today is W8 D1 L6. So the match ups are even and fair. You are talking rubbish and are complaining about absolutely nothing.

Me and other posters:

You:

Thank you for your comment and pictures.

Very brave!

Well, don't think of it as bad!

Playing w/ people better than you improves your skill level! So, think of it as a good thing.

Quite often when I seek a game, I play someone whom I’ve played before (sometimes many many times before), or someone that I’m familiar with. 

Sometimes I get a match, and I see who it is, and I think, wow, this guy’s much lower rated than normal: bad value. But similarly, I sometimes get opponents who i usually outrate, and on that occasion they’re equal to me or maybe even higher. Nom nom nom, points to be had here. 

The point is, it evens out. Quite often though, it turns out that the players who are near their max rating, who should be easy meat, are on a roll and playing well, and the higher rated guy who has dropped down can be the easy pickings - bad internet at that time/crisis of confidence/tilted/drunk etc.

Worrying about someone’s highest rating is a futile exercise basically.