OK, I warn you, this is going to be a rant, but I'll try and keep it concise and expletive free. Please answer me this question... Why is it that the points you gain when you win a game are calculated on the players' relative ratings at the END of the game?!! Rather than the START of the game, which would surely be the logical, fair, intuitive, sensible and all round better way of doing it.
Then both players would know exactly what they were getting into at the start of the game, instead of the current situation, where all my oppponents seem to collapse out of sight the moment I'm about to win. I've been scraping 5 or 6 points a victory, then I damn well lose and 19 of the buggers vanish from my rating.
I guess I'm feeling emotionally fragile after a long day at work...
Rich.