1000 games, 200 ranking?

There are a few people on Word Biz who have played over a thousand games, but still have a ranking around 200 - which is not very good.

I really don't understand that. I can understand a beginner not doing well to start with...but as you play game after game you should be able to remember the words used and the tactics used...so you should be able to get up to at least 400.

That's me at the moment. I think I've been playing on this site for about a month now. After my first game I had an 800 rating. That dropped down pretty quickly into the 400s, and I've been steady in the 400s ever since.

Of course my goal is to return to the 800s, and to do that I've got to get serious about my studying - especially since I'm planning on going to that Texas tournament in 8 more months.

Of course some of my losses haven't been my fault. I've played a few people ranked lower than me who get all the power letters. Which would be fine if I'd at least get a decent spread of vowels and consonants. Well played, you can always come back. But when you get either ALL vowels or ALL consonants while your opponent is racking up the points, it's just not possible.

Ah well - I know that's the way it happens in real life, too, but it's just frustrating!