Rubber banding refers to catch-up mechanics that help losing players and slow down leading players, creating artificially close competitions. Psychologically, it serves a critical function: it prevents the hopelessness that causes players to quit mid-match. If a player falls too far behind with no chance of recovery, the rational choice is to give up. Rubber banding keeps the emotional investment alive by maintaining the illusion of possibility. The tension is that leading players often find rubber banding infuriating because it punishes skill, while losing players may not even notice it is happening. The best implementations are invisible; the worst feel like the game is cheating.