berserking is sandbagging

lichess claims sandbagging is against their rules, but then they provide a "legal" method to artificially deflate your rating. this method is berserking.

this is like declaring murder illegal, except if the murder weapon is a knife. then it's ok..

come on, lichess. you have to do better.

Herp derp.

Derp herp.

Although I can't see the conversation going anywhere constructive, closing it seems weird.

Let's try to answer it anyway, @Toadofsky ;)

@vayomer_elohim
1. Sandbagging is described as:

Artificially inflating or deflating your rating. This is where a User purposefully loses, or has arranged with an opponent to lose. As a result, the User’s rating will artificially decrease.

Berserk is a way to gamble where you sacrifice time for a potential extra point in an arena.

Of course you can sandbag while berserking, but losing while berserking for the extra point isn't necessary sandbagging. It's a gamble, not a way to decrease rating. And some days it will work in your favour, some days it won't.

so, going back to my analogy, you're saying berserking is more like manslaughter than murder because the killing is not done intentionally?

Sorry, I'm not convinced.

whatever a person's intention is in berserking, the end result is the same: a lower rating that doesn't reflect their strength.

Should berserking modify your rating?

Note, sandbagging is *intentionally* decreasing your rating, and while berserking might have an effect of lowering the rating somewhat, it definitely isn't intentional.

It's mostly just so people can have fun and push themselves to their limits.
I think it works fine as it is, and I don't really think it's that big of a problem

It does affect your rating.

Pretty much the only people i lose to are strong players (sandbaggers) who berserk the majority of their games, but then play against me using their full time.

so when i lose to these players, they take my points, while playing at full strength, then they berserk a 1500, lose, and give my points to them.

they're like the robin hoods of rating points. totally ridiculous

lichess.org/terms-of-service are deliberately vague:
"Users, both registered and unregistered agree to behave with good conduct whilst using Lichess’ Services. This will always be determined at Lichess’ discretion. Users who don’t behave with good conduct may have their account banned or closed without warning, and their content removed from the site. In all circumstances we withhold the right to ban or close an account for any reason without warning, and without having to provide evidence that Fair Play and Community Guidelines have been breached."