I’ve found myself in a bad mood and tilting the last day or two.
I am probably a 15kyu player or so (adjusted for OGS), that’s already factoring in me being rusty after not playing for a few years. I was 12kyu or so at my best.
After starting again, I was gaining rating without trying too hard, peaking at 17kyu.
Then, I “genuinely” lost a few games due to loss of sleep. I started playing on tilt, through the night, stopping to read moves and playing just by intuition. Dropped to 20kyu, didn’t care. (About the rating, but I was in a depressed and angry mood.)
I started playing badly on purpose. Dropped further, started ‘essentially’ throwing games.
Now I am at 25kyu and wondering whether it’s unfair to start playing decently again, as I could essentially guarantee wins at this level and it seems somewhat unfair being so seriously underrated in rated games.
What’s the etiquette, correct solution at this point?
I would recommend to resume playing normally, and if you are ever in a similar sleep-deprived situation in the future, play unrated to tilt without consequences.
It can happen. Play normally, try not to tilt and, if you do, follow the best advise that there is about tilting: “Close the game and do something else to calm down or rest”.
Never play angry… we are all here to have fun.
If you are not having fun, close the game and do something else.
You should probably just not take it personally when people accuse you of sandbagging. Anyway, DDK players should be happy someone stronger is willing to play with them, even if it’s just so you can fix your rating. If you can’t help taking it personally, you can always play bots instead.
The next time you play a 21-25 kyu - just play like you’re playing a teaching game - don’t try to win - just pick a particular strategy and try to make a beautiful pattern
Play a peaceful game
Let your opponent have 4 corners, and play a center moyo strategy
Limit yourself to joseki, direction of play, and good shape - no invasions, throw ins, or capture Go allowed
Now that you have some room to breathe due to the rank difference, try things you haven’t tried before, and see if that awakens any of the fun / discovery aspects for you
Instead of fighting - just relax and see what you can do
I experienced the same thing, being a winner in business games and feeling so frustrated with Go boards and myself.
Here below are some recap for you @S.L, as you and I are talking (about your ranks:) and playing WITH each other for the last few weeks/days since you boarded OGS.
After 7 months and various time to lose a match in style (following/ignoring Go etiquette), I finally see that rankings is a verb, NOT a noun. It simply describe a process/ the progress. It does not equal to your “worth”, both in life and on OGS. Cheers
1. Current Emotional State
S.L. is experiencing a tilt cycle - emotional dysregulation after losses. He’s frustrated, sleep-deprived, and caught between self-blame and resignation. His choice to “play badly on purpose” reflects self-punishment, an attempt to regain control by turning passive defeat into an active one.
2. Underlying Psychology
S.L.’s self-worth is tied to performance. When winning feels effortless, confidence rises; when losing, the ego collapses. This leads to defensive behaviors like self-sabotage and avoidance.
3. Moral Conflict
His question about fairness reflects guilt and conscience recovery, a desire to make things right without feeling like he’s cheating the system.
4. Recovery Approach
Pause ranked games, journal emotions, practice self-compassion, and rediscover the joy of learning. Reframe Go from a performance test to a mirror of inner balance.
5. Etiquette Solution
It’s fair to play seriously again after a tilt drop, as long as there’s honesty and self-awareness. Start with casual games, recalibrate strength, then return to ranked play naturally.
