Sandbagging
The term 'Sandbagging' is used when a player intentionally lowers their chess rating by losing games on purpose. This is often done with the intent to enter tournaments at a lower rating level, where they can easily dominate and win prizes.
Sandbagging falls under the broader category of rating manipulation, which includes activities such as:
Arranging game results intentionally.
Playing with multiple accounts.
Choosing the wrong skill level on a new account.
Losing intentionally to lower one's rating.
How to spot a Sandbagger
If you notice a player performing exceptionally well in a tournament, significantly above their stated rating, it might be worth investigating further.
You can review the player’s recent games to see if there are any suspicious patterns:
Sandbaggers often resign multiple games in a row after just a few moves to drop their rating significantly. Some might give away their queen before resigning to disguise it as a blunder or misclick.
If a player has a series of losses right before entering a tournament or club match, it could indicate sandbagging.
📝 Sandbagging isn’t just for tournament entry. Some players may lower their rating to play against lower-rated opponents in auto-matches, which is also against the rules.
What to do if you suspect someone of sandbagging
If you suspect someone of being a sandbagger, please report them! The fair play team will look further into it and action against the account if necessary.
📚 Check out this article to learn how to report a member: How do I report someone?