order of winning or losing

If I have a game I know I will win and one I know I will lose, there would seem to be a slight ratings advantage in resigning first before winning the other game. Is this correct or just a misunderstanding of the ratings system?

You have to take into consideration your opponent's rating - it may not always be the case.

Losing first will give you a small gain in rating compared to winning first. I think it's about a point and a half max though.

Originally posted by Habeascorp
If I have a game I know I will win and one I know I will lose, there would seem to be a slight ratings advantage in resigning first before winning the other game. Is this correct or just a misunderstanding of the ratings system?

Originally posted by philidor position
if the site uses Glicko system (like FICS, chess com etc), and your rating deviation is high, then winning the game first could gain some extra points.

I've run the numbers on this before using the formula posted in the FAQ, and it makes no difference to your rating. I've even checked for 5 games each way, and the win/lose order of all the games didn't make any difference. The only potential problem comes if your opponent's rating changes between running the numbers and finishing the game, but you really have no control over that.

However, the order in which you win and lose DOES affect your opponents' ratings. If you win first, both of your opponents end up with higher ratings than if you resign first. Winning against somebody with a higher rating (ie. 1518 instead of 1502) earns more points, and losing against someone with a higher rating loses less points.

So, no, your rating won't be affected. But if you prefer to be nice or mean, you can help your opponents out or not. Or if you don't care, go ahead and resign to clear space (assuming non-sub) and get started on your next game!