you could make easier for us 1700 players stuck without a table, Just lose to us when we are there :). If you look a little further down, you will see that I am advocating for 200 point steps. A lot of people think it's a good idea, but it's not yet (if ever going to be) implemented. In the meantime we all have to get used to it.

The 300 point gap sucks no doubt about it. That being said its not impossible to make the leap. I think the 1700 - 2000 gap is much harder to clear than the 1500-1800. The skill level is clearly lower, which you have pointed out. Barring a terrible start you should be able to do well so long as you dont play terrible and lose a 5v2 first turn.

Another option is to get all the 1700s and sit together at one of the 1500 tables. Tricky to do even 5 of 7 will help you out quite a bit. Play smart and flag as soon as it's clear you wont be in a better position than you are already in. I say this because getting over the hump isn't about winning all time, you just need to gain points every time. I don't know your stance on flagging, but it works and you cant argue with results

it'll only be a matter of time before 16 tables show up, just like when there was a gap between 1700 and 2000. Right now lots of players are at 17 and 15, eventually, those 17 players will lose elo to the 15 players, and then the 16 tables will be born.

Just get another account for when there aren't any 1700 tables, and play your regular one when there are.

Don't trust he will be definitely better than everyone there. I'm at 1590, and at equal level of terr., I know a thing or two.

I agree with kmice, it took me a long time to break 1800 cos there are relatively few 1700-1800 players. If you play with a table of mostly 1500s to 1600s a bad opening and early exit will drop you 30+ points instantly, while even if you get a good first (with dominance) you may not increase much more than 20. But anyhow this is part of the game right?

Yup, it is part of the game, but it is definitely easier to fall than rise, when you are high man at the table. This means that, to advance, you constantly have to "play for 3rd", which means you play very conservatively indeed. For me, this removes most of the fun from the game.

Another unfortunate part of this effect is that, when there is a 1500 - 1800 gap, many 1700's just don't play. When/if the 1700 tables reappear, they pop out of hiding for a while. I assume they have all started new accounts, in order to wait it out.

I don't think I have the kdice chops (nor do I have the time) to take my current 1700 accounts up to the 1800 tables, if I am high man every time I play on the 1500's. If you get a bad start, you have to play "hide in the corner" to minimize the damage, but the Dom points penalize that strategy (and it's no fun anyway). Many people don't have the patience to do it, so it is further down the slippery slope for them..... I might be in that boat too.

I think a large part of the injustice feeling comes from the fact that most of the 1800+ players got there because there were 1700 tables when they were 1700. The gap widens and they're safe in their 1800+ towers.

They're not so safe. People ragularly fall out of the "tower", and then it's a huge struggle to get back. People up there realize this, and try to avoid knocking out anyone who's been around for a while. That means that noobs at the 1800 tables take it in the shorts, just because they're noobs. There's not really anything conspiratorial about this... people would rather not knock their "friends" back to the 1500's, is all.

BUMP, there were 300 gaps