Open Invites for New Players

I'd like to be able to set up open invites for people with p1200 ratings who are new to the site.

I think it would improve the retention rate if p1200s played people who've been on the site longer than other p1200s, many of whom disappear from the site after one or two moves.

If you set rating limits provisional players can't accept open invites at present.

not a bad idea.

Most of you don't want to play provisionals? That's a bit unfriendly, everybody has to start somewhere.

Originally posted by Kewpie
Most of you don't want to play provisionals? That's a bit unfriendly, everybody has to start somewhere.

Pity the 'friend' who is hosting a closet FM/IM/GM or even worse - a returning 3(b).

Let the provisionals beat themselves up, and then we will see. That's a better start I say.

skeeter

Originally posted by Kewpie
I'd like to be able to set up open invites for people with p1200 ratings who are new to the site.

I think it would improve the retention rate if p1200s played people who've been on the site longer than other p1200s, many of whom disappear from the site after one or two moves.

If you set rating limits provisional players can't accept open invites at present.

Don't set ratings limits then.

Put games up stating p1200 players only - if taken by a non p1200 player bin the game and put the player who took it on ignore.

Problem solved

I play plenty of provisionals, I don;t go out of my way looking for them but if the request is pleasant enough then why not..a p1200 is a different matter mind you, I like to at least see a few of their previous games lol. Good luck to them if they give you a thrashing..RHP points come and go, 'guarding' a rate seems a pointless task...

A further point worthy of remembering here, even though it's well known, is the fact that provisionals cannot really 'hammer' your rating should you lose. I'm unsure exactly but you'd lose far far more points from say a 1500 than a p1500..a couple of my now clan mates I'd met as prov's after they'd sent a PM politely asking for a 'challenging game'..we've chatted away and I've actively 'encouraged' them to subscribe given how keen they were..I have my mind set on another who did likewise recently, an Indian chap that had no intention of subscribing beforehand but you point out the benefits accordingly. $40 is a small fortune over there so that's what I call keen...the majority of prov's should be 'entertained' to a game and if you 'click' with them you can encourage their continued interest in the site AND sometimes get another interesting clan member 🙂 Also, finally, those that were unable to subscribe, but equally keen, have been enormous assets to any club they've joined...and their forum ! The more the merrier here, we're losing too many GOOD provisionals only because they've not understood fully how to make the site work for them...

Games against provisionals produce a rating effect exactly half what the effect would normally have been (it's in the FAQ). So it isn't really significant in most cases. Those of us rated below 1200 aren't likely to lose more than a few points, and there's always the chance that the p1200 will leave the site and gift you a few by timeout anyway. I don't think being friendly to newcomers has a downside, because I've met quite a few decent people in the process, and some have become regular opponents.

why care about rating?

Originally posted by Kewpie
I'd like to be able to set up open invites for people with p1200 ratings who are new to the site.

I think it would improve the retention rate if p1200s played people who've been on the site longer than other p1200s, many of whom disappear from the site after one or two moves.

If you set rating limits provisional players can't accept open invites at present.

Kewpie I recced your idea.

Further I suggest to have a group of regular players who could volunteer to play newcomers. I would volunteer at the time being.

Edit: the system could set up games with people who had recently moved.

I don't mind a few long time games with newcomers...as long as they speak english or my own form of 'sort of understandable' french lol...

Playing against a provisional really isn't a problem for most of us. We all started out as a newbie here at one time or another.

It was nice when the open invite process was expanded, adding the ability to set upper and lower rating limits, set piece games, etc. It would also be nice if they added an option to only allow a provisional player to pick up your game, if that's what you want.

You certainly wouldn't have to use that option, the same as you don't have to use the rating limits, but it would be there if you want it.

I can also understand if someone who has worked to get a high rating is careful about who they play against, especially when they can't see any kind of established track record. That's fine too.