Is there any way I can hide my and my opponents ratings when I'm playing FICS using the Babas client? I'm finding that I'm worrying way too much about my rating when I should be focusing on playing good chess.

Not that I know of, with any interface. I have gone as far as to put a Post-it on the screen where the ratings will be before I even seek. Sometimes it has bothered me, too.

Play unrated games.

LOL! That had not occurred to me, but is completely correct! Good show.

I've seen people give rated seeks, but their rating doesn't show. I've had people without ratings answer my rated seeks. It is very uncommon, but I've seen it. I don't know how they hide their ratings.

After playing one of those people, I fingered them and found the rating. Perhaps they were new and were provisional, I don't know.


If you don't want to know your opponent's rating, the play with Winboard. Just don't look at the text screen until after you've finished the game.