[ano]

Why not, actually?
Starcraft ladder system might work well (if someone could implement it, of course). If, say, admin of game XXX declares some nation in a game at llamaserver a winner, then some formula applies and winning player gets some amount of points based on the rating of players he defeated. All losing players get a minus to their score (total minus should always be equal to total plus) based on their rating and (probably) position in the game (those who were eliminated later get less minus or maybe even some small plus if they did fairly well up to the end - all this information may be either gained from scores or game admin may or may not provide it).
Imho, if such system is well thought over, it can appear even more interesting and challenging to play and people will rarer do things such as chrispedersen in Madness (he left game on turn 6 because his rush, in which he invested everything he could, failed and his megapretender was slain)