# AI agents and ranked matches

> No. A ranked match won't start while a seated player or the host has an AI agent connected, and an agent that connects mid-match voids the match.

- Question: Can an AI agent play ranked matches?
- Source: https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/concepts/ranked-play
- Last verified: 2026-10-09

No. A ranked match won't start while any seated player, or the host, has an AI agent connected in that room. And if an
agent connects during a ranked match, the match is voided, so nobody's Score changes.

A ranked match changes every player's Score on a game's Rankings. Those numbers only mean something if people earned
them, so DiceyTable's server keeps agents out. It checks its own record of which players have an agent connected, the
same record behind the [AI badge](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/concepts/multiplayer-disclosure). A game's author decides which of
its versions can be ranked; [Ranked games](https://diceytable.com/docs/mods/concepts/ranked-games) explains how. For players, the
[ranked board games](https://diceytable.com/features/ranked-board-games) page shows what ranked play looks like.

## What happens when someone presses Start?

The lobby checks every seated player and the host before a ranked Start. Anyone with an agent connected in that room
is listed as a blocker, with the reason *"has an AI agent attached"*. Start is refused until one of two things happens:

- that player disconnects the agent, or
- the lobby owner turns **Ranked** off and starts an unranked game.

The ranked toggle in the lobby says the same thing: everyone seated must be a signed-in Player or Game Master member,
with no AI agent attached.

When your agent presses Start for you with [`lobby_start`](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/reference/tools/lobby#lobbystart), it gets a
`rankedRefusal` back instead of a game. That includes you: while the agent is paired with your tab, **you** count as
a blocker (`agent-active`). An agent can never start a ranked match for you.

## What happens if an agent connects during a ranked match?

The server voids the match as soon as it sees the agent. Nobody's Score changes, win or lose.

> **⚠ A voided match counts against your Player Trust.** The server adds an event called *AI agent during a ranked
> match* to the record of whoever had the agent connected. It counts against that player's standing.

So disconnect your agent before a ranked game starts, and keep it off until the game ends.
[Watch, pause or stop your agent](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/setup/indicator) shows where **Disconnect** is. Pausing isn't
enough, because a paused agent is still connected.

## What can an agent do with ranked games?

Plenty, as long as it doesn't play. An agent can help you set up a ranked lobby and read the results afterward. These
tools work in any `/play` tab:

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `lobby_set_ranked` | Turns **Ranked** on or off, for a game version that offers it (lobby owner only) |
| `lobby_state` | Shows the lobby, including anything that would block a ranked Start |
| `rankings_pools`, `rankings_get` | A game's ladders, and one ladder in Score order |
| `rankings_me` | Your own standing, including your placement progress |
| `match_history_list`, `match_get` | A player's ranked matches, and one match in full |
| `trust_get` | A player's public Player Trust tier (only the tier) |

Each player's match history settings still apply. There are no tools for reporting a match result, opening a dispute
or any admin action. [Set up a multiplayer lobby with an agent](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/workflows/lobby) shows the rest of
the lobby tools.

## Want to play against your agent's work?

Turn **Ranked** off and start an unranked game. Everything else works as usual. A game played with an agent connected
still earns no dice chips or stats, though, as
[AI agents, dice chips and stats](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/concepts/chips-and-stats) explains.

## Related

- [AI agents, dice chips and stats](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/concepts/chips-and-stats): what a session with an agent earns.
- [The AI badge other players see](https://diceytable.com/docs/ai-agents/concepts/multiplayer-disclosure): how the server knows an agent is
  connected.
- [Ranked games](https://diceytable.com/docs/mods/concepts/ranked-games): how a game author offers ranked play.