This is a snapshot of Lichess back in June 2017:
web.archive.org/web/20170609044138/https://lichess.org/
The 3x3 grid already had been there and has not been changed since then.
This stats page tells us that 12 million games have been played in June 2017:
database.lichess.org
The number of games played per cell of the grid may serve as an approximate measure of how quickly players are paired:
June 2017: 1.3 million games per cell
January 2020: 5.2 million games per cell
It seems that the pairing speed has quadrupled during this time span. Adding one more row with 3 cells would diminish this speed by an estimated amount of only 33 percent. And given the current user trend, in only a few months we will see the same speed in a 4x3 grid as we see now with 3x3.
My suggestion: Please add one more rapid TC without increment and two rapid TCs with increment, in order to parallel the four blitz time controls.
I know well that this issue has been discussed on Github for quite a while, but IMHO the time has come now to go 4x3.
web.archive.org/web/20170609044138/https://lichess.org/
The 3x3 grid already had been there and has not been changed since then.
This stats page tells us that 12 million games have been played in June 2017:
database.lichess.org
The number of games played per cell of the grid may serve as an approximate measure of how quickly players are paired:
June 2017: 1.3 million games per cell
January 2020: 5.2 million games per cell
It seems that the pairing speed has quadrupled during this time span. Adding one more row with 3 cells would diminish this speed by an estimated amount of only 33 percent. And given the current user trend, in only a few months we will see the same speed in a 4x3 grid as we see now with 3x3.
My suggestion: Please add one more rapid TC without increment and two rapid TCs with increment, in order to parallel the four blitz time controls.
I know well that this issue has been discussed on Github for quite a while, but IMHO the time has come now to go 4x3.