Elo rating: what it means and how it is calculated

The Elo rating is a numerical measure of a chess player's playing strength, based on a simple principle: points are gained and lost depending on WHO you played against. Winning against a stronger opponent gives you a lot of points, winning against a much weaker one gives you almost nothing, and losing against him costs the most.

In short: the system was named after Arpad Elo, a physicist and chess player, and FIDE adopted it in 1970. The difference in ratings translates into the expected result of the match: with a difference of about 200 points, the stronger player should score approximately three-quarters of the points. After each batch, the rating is adjusted by the difference between the actual and expected results.

How the mechanism works - without formulas

Before the game, the system calculates how much you "should" score: against an equal player - half a point, against a much weaker player - almost all of it. After the game, you get (or lose) the difference between what you actually won and what was expected, multiplied by the K coefficient. That's why a sensational win against a favorite can give you several dozen points, and a routine win against an outsider - two or three.

What the numbers mean: approximate ladder

• up to ~800: beginnings - knowledge of the rules, frequent omissions of pieces.
• ~800-1200: typowy amator domowy; widzi proste taktyki.
• ~1200-1600: solidny gracz klubowy; rozumie plany i końcówki.
• ~1600-2000: advanced tournament player.
• ~2000-2500: master candidates and FIDE masters.
• 2500+: poziom arcymistrzowski; tytuł GM wymaga osiągnięcia 2500 i wypełnienia norm turniejowych.
• ~2800+: absolute world leader - the all-time record, 2,882, belongs to Magnus Carlsen.

How quickly your beginner rating increases

At the beginning, the rating changes rapidly - the system is just "looking" for your true level, so a series of wins can increase it by hundreds of points in a few weeks. Then the curve flattens naturally: the higher you go, the stronger the opponents you encounter and the fewer points you get for each win. A stagnant rating doesn't mean you're not making progress - it means your opponents are growing with you.

Why the online rating is higher than FIDE

Serwisy internetowe liczą własne rankingi na własnych pulach graczy, zwykle startując od wyższej liczby bazowej — dlatego ta sama osoba potrafi mieć 1500 online i 1100 FIDE. Liczby z różnych systemów NIE są porównywalne wprost; sens ma tylko porównywanie w ramach jednej puli.

Check your training rating - without an account

W tactical training there is a ranking mode based on the classic Elo formula: you start with 100 points, and the application selects tasks with the difficulty closest to your level - solved the first time increases the rating, an error lowers it. This is a training rating calculated locally in your browser (not FIDE!), but the mechanism is the same, so it honestly shows your progress. You can also check the real strength of your game in a game with computer on 10 levels of difficulty, and systematic growth will ensure free course.

The training works offline after your first online visit on this device. Application installation is not required.