Berserk and rating points • page 1/1 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

I know that in a tournament when you berserk, you lose half your time, but gain an extra tournament point if you win. But, do you get more rating ("elo") points when you berserk and win? And what about the opponent? Does your opponent gain less rating if they win instead (assuming only you berserk?)

If it does affect rating, how is it calculated?
If it doesn't affect rating, does that mean that berserkers lose more often and thus they play better than their rating?

Are there any strategies about berserking? Should you always berserk? Never? Only when playing low rated opponents? Or does it depend on time control?

I know that in a tournament when you berserk, you lose half your time, but gain an extra tournament point if you win. But, do you get more rating ("elo") points when you berserk and win? And what about the opponent? Does your opponent gain less rating if they win instead (assuming only you berserk?) If it does affect rating, how is it calculated? If it doesn't affect rating, does that mean that berserkers lose more often and thus they play better than their rating? Are there any strategies about berserking? Should you always berserk? Never? Only when playing low rated opponents? Or does it depend on time control?

petri999

#2

No it does not affect you rating calculation as it should not. Whether that means berserkers underrated: Dunno. I guess some will and some will not.

mkubecek

#3

The rating of berserk games is an interesting problem but I'm afraid it's one of those where there is no good solution so that you have to seek the "least bad".

Quite often the berserk would change the class of the time control, e.g. from blitz to bullet or from rapid to blitz. But lichess still counts the game under the original time control. On the other hand, updating rapid rating of one player and blitz for the other after a game doesn't feel right either.
Berserk can be seen as a form of a self imposed handicap, similar to e.g. playing blindfolded. Lichess suggests to use a separate account for such games so that mixing the unhandicaped and handicaped games does not mess with the rating calculations. But that approach would be quite inconvenient when a player wants to berserk only some games in an arena style tournament. Not rating berserk games would be an option but I can imagine some players would be unhappy to have their game unrated because of their opponent's choice they have no chance to influence.

Personally I find the very idea of arena style turnaments fundamentally flawed by design and berserking is only part of the reasons. But sadly they are very popular, much more than swiss style tournaments.

The rating of berserk games is an interesting problem but I'm afraid it's one of those where there is no good solution so that you have to seek the "least bad". 1. Quite often the berserk would change the class of the time control, e.g. from blitz to bullet or from rapid to blitz. But lichess still counts the game under the original time control. On the other hand, updating rapid rating of one player and blitz for the other after a game doesn't feel right either. 2. Berserk can be seen as a form of a self imposed handicap, similar to e.g. playing blindfolded. Lichess suggests to use a separate account for such games so that mixing the unhandicaped and handicaped games does not mess with the rating calculations. But that approach would be quite inconvenient when a player wants to berserk only some games in an arena style tournament. Not rating berserk games would be an option but I can imagine some players would be unhappy to have their game unrated because of their opponent's choice they have no chance to influence. Personally I find the very idea of arena style turnaments fundamentally flawed by design and berserking is only part of the reasons. But sadly they are very popular, much more than swiss style tournaments.