Hello,

I play in GO tournaments with handicaps.

I lost quite a few games on time as I was very sick and unable to play for 6 weeks. My Ranking went from about 15k to 20k. I don't care as it just means that I will fight it back up.

On the other hand, it's not fair for my opponents as the computed handicaps are not proper.

My question is the following: should matches lost on time be discounted for ranking changes?

I believe so, even is I realize that anyone losing could stop playing so the loss would not impact their ranking.

I think that the downside is not important versus the issue caused by the issue that I raise.

Jean

ah this explains why you are playing so well :) i didn't think you played like a 20k.

maybe a loss on time could count for less than a loss by resignation or defeat. still leaves a loophole for poor sportsmanship. suspending games would probably be the best bet. an opponent would have the option to agree to suspend a game for an agreed upon amount of time and resume later.

Sure only by little factor!

It could help to not play games where opponent just hope for my time loosing or for wonder :-)))

I disagree. I've had a ton of games here and on Dragon where the opponent did 1 or 2 moves and then quit playing. I feel it rewarding them and punishing me in effect for their choosing not to continue.

Yes,I am sympathetic to the initial poster's problem with health matters causing him not to mave for 6 weeks.

BUT, if you are going to make games count less or not count due to a time limit expiring,why have the time limits?

Perhaps a solution could be that any game lost (time or resignation) before a limited number of moves (20?) would not cound for ranking.

Also, as proposed by Ken, a solution where a player could ask his opponent to suspend a game for a while. The opponent can refuse and would get a win (no way around this), but I would guess that in most cases, people are accomodating.

On Dragon, one of my opponents even proposed to let his clock run for a while to give me time.

Isn't he just a gentleman? (his name is Steve R.)

Sometimes you can win or loose a game within 20 moves.

(f.e.:checkmate in two:))

What is Dragon?

Losing a game of GO in 2 moves? :)

Yeah Jean, I also noticed you didnt seem a 20kyu, but not making the game count when resigned within 20 moves is not an option imho. This would allow too many players to resign games against better players for example, just to play worse players then them to get higher ranks.

Dragon is an other server, just for GO. I was told that the name comes from the fact that GO games “Drag on”.

Little Golem and Dragon are the two best turn-based servers to play GO on. Many of us play on both servers.

BTW, perhaps a simple solution could be to let the user set a “negative” handicap for himself in his profile?

For example, if a 20kyu plays a 15kyu, and if he sets a “-2” handicap delta, he could actually only get a 2 stones handicap instead of 5? What about it?

I do still feel a loss is a loss whatever way you lose…

The suspend game might work if only for a limited # of days (say 21).