Most organized competitive pasttimes have a rating
system or such. Tennis, gold, chess, etc. It's an added
feature or dimension, if you will.
Bad example, if you're trying to support the ratings system...
There are three, maybe four, levels in tennis, for example:
1 playing for fun against friends and strangers,
2 playing in the local club for fun,
3 playing in the local club as part of the club team,
4 playing pro.
I contend that MEPBM is in the first category, whereas supporters
of the rating system want to move people into the third.
Different games, different styles of play, more obsessive and
less fun. Put people from the two categories in the same
game (tournament, whatever) and neither really ends up enjoying
the experience. (Ever played tennis against the club captain?)
Gavin
PS How does one play gold? 