Board Game Arena

I wouldd like to suggest an optional feature that allows players to hide their ELO rating during games.

In many games, players with a higher ELO tend to become the default target, regardless of who is actually winning. This can lead to decisions based on player reputation rather than the current game state, which takes away from the spirit of the game.

To address concerns about the rating system, players who choose to hide their ELO could simply be excluded from the public rating ladder or rankings while using this option. That way, the feature remains optional and doesn't affect the competitive integrity of rated play.

This is just a suggestion to encourage games where decisions are based on the board position rather than a player's rating. I think it could make the experience more enjoyable for many players.

Hiding ELO during am active game would need a big change in the BGA framework since you can always look at every player's ELO if you search for his profile.

And I would add to this discussion that on any family table one plays and in many RL tournaments one usually knows who the strongest opponents are. There, in case of doubt one also targets the stronger/more dangerous opponent - as long as they are in an at least equally good position as others.