How do ranks help you?

Newbie here and was just curious what the ultimate objective is for having ranks. Do they advance your game play or make you harder to beat? What incentive does it offer? Thank you.

Bragging Rights

On the plus side, it lets other players know how good you are.

On the down side, it lets other players know how good you are.

But you will lose or gain points the same regardless if you show rank or not.

To elaborate pixel's statement. The plus side is that players will listen to you when you say things like, we need to stop green or he will win for sure. And on the downside they will be more likely to think they need to stop you from winning.

Personally I think the good outweighs the bad because I've found that it was easier to manipulate newer players the higher my rank got.

Rank is a curse!
Once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will.

I think the unhealthy obsession with rank takes much of the fun from the game. Without rank, each game stands alone. I've seen many times where a ranked player laments a bad game, days or even weeks later, to the ruination of the fun of the current game experience. For those of us without rank, a good or bad game lasts only until the next game comes along offering new challenges and New Hope.

Just my 2 cents

And on the opposite end to spammy, it gives me a sense of long term accomplishment. If you click on the upgrades link and see that you have enough points and tokens to rank up, you then see if you're excited at the prospect or not. Then you will find your motivation for playing on this great site. To rank-up or not to rank-up...that is the question

I think that those that don't display rank are disappointed with their current rank, and therefore chose to 'opt out' as a means of controlling the situation.

In other words, they are jealous of those with the highest rank.

The best way to become better at this game is to play with other good players.
The best way to get them to play is to show that you are a some sort of good player already.

So, get that rank

Matty - Why don't you rank all the way up?

Because I don't have enough tokens, and not enough points anymore for the one that I did purchase.
You guys are being way too good at this game

So you lost 800 points in 11 days playing 1 game every few days?

Seems legit! Rank up bro, I'll donate some tokens to you for all your hard work.