[esgoto]

>poor at matching me with beginners of similar experience

I don't know what server(s) you tried, but unfortunately quite a few of them have a sandbagger problem at the lower ranks. Also the ranking system itself has its inconveniences. The difference between a 19 kyu and a 16 kyu might be nearly negligible, but the difference between a 3 kyu and a 1 kyu is usually not. Coupled with the fact that it takes servers a few games to get an accurate rank, it often makes for a frustrating experience for beginners.