Here is the statistician in the crowd, as you predicted. Of course you will lose more games when you play up, but your rating will go up more when you win and down less when you lose. In fact it has been shown that the rating system actually favors the weaker player slightly.

Of course it is easier to throw games when you play up since you're expected to lose anyway...
Dan S | Homepage | 06.05.09 - 6:03 pm | #

You mention any game of gambling that sandbagging occurs. Do you consider what we do gambling?
lawyer | 06.06.09 - 10:36 am | #

Hi Mike,

I've posted about this before, but we had a notorious sandbagger when I lived in West Virginia. A strong player from Algeria, who was by my estimate at least 2200 strength, would win material and then offer a draw. Pretty funny-- he wanted you to know that he was better, but he also wanted to sandbag his rating! Many players were honest and refused such a blatently cheating draw offer (in one case he won a whole rook!), and he did get banned from some tournaments.

He went on to collect back to back 2nd place finishes in U2300 (?) section of the Chicago and World Opens. Maybe he was even stronger than 2200....
Jason | 06.06.09 - 11:02 am | #

Lawyer,

I don't consider OTB gambling. But many times when people are gambeling they might not "nuke" their opponent but make it look like there is a contest.
Mike Griffin | 06.07.09 - 5:29 pm | #

Mike,

dont be getting cocky because of some good tourney results, ok?
The Sage | 06.09.09 - 12:38 am | #

Is krasik a sandbagger, seems odd he just gained like 100 pts.
Fight-Pollution | 06.11.09 - 12:00 am | #

See it every spring before the June or July rating list cutoff. This post from my blog describes my latest encounter with a dumper.

http://castlingqueenside.blogspo...shall- nest.html
Polly | Homepage | 06.14.09 - 1:31 am | #

You do get a lot of sandbaggers on online chess sites too. Once you get to know them, you try to ignore them and not playing them at all.
nikita | Homepage | 07.13.09 - 5:29 pm | #