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Big chess enthusiast here, got a question about my rating as a beginner

#1

Fellow chess players,

I am a woman and I have not been rated IRL. As a matter of fact I am interested in chess since a few weeks only. So my question to you is - what is my Elo before even playing a single game IRL? Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? Elo is in relation to others, not to one's own self (it doesn't exist in a vacuum, right?)?

Best regards,
Tatiana Skulimova

Fellow chess players, I am a woman and I have not been rated IRL. As a matter of fact I am interested in chess since a few weeks only. So my question to you is - what is my Elo before even playing a single game IRL? Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? Elo is in relation to others, not to one's own self (it doesn't exist in a vacuum, right?)? Best regards, Tatiana Skulimova
#2

@robertofromsekiro said in #1:

Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level?
Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level?

Lichess gives you an arbitrary rating of 1500 points with a question mark for each game category (such as bullet, blitz, rapid and classical and in all the types) when you start. This question mark at the end of a rating will persist until Lichess determines what your actual rating is, which is determined after you've played enough games of that category (I do not know the exact number of games needed but it's more likely circumstantial).

Once you get an actual rating you'll see the question mark at the end of your rating disappear for that category.

There's a similar system for puzzles as well though I do not remember what arbitrary rating it starts at.

@robertofromsekiro said in #1: > Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? > Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? Lichess gives you an arbitrary rating of 1500 points with a question mark for each game category (such as bullet, blitz, rapid and classical and in all the types) when you start. This question mark at the end of a rating will persist until Lichess determines what your actual rating is, which is determined after you've played enough games of that category (I do not know the exact number of games needed but it's more likely circumstantial). Once you get an actual rating you'll see the question mark at the end of your rating disappear for that category. There's a similar system for puzzles as well though I do not remember what arbitrary rating it starts at.
#3

Hello and welcome ! it's so cool to see that there are chess enthusiasts! it reminds me that almost three years ago I was so enthusiastic, the proof and that I am still enthusiastic and motivated! the Lichess ranking system is not the same as in Over the board: lichess uses glicko which is adapted to online chess and works exactly like elo. like #2 said, you start with an average rating of 1500, with a question mark until your Ranking stabilizes around 20-30 games in each Time control. in your first games, you can gain or lose a lot of points, until you are stabilized in a certain range of Ranking. the Rankings are independent according to the time control (Ultrabullet, bullet, blitz, rapid, classic, variants) if you gain / lose points in blitz, it will not change your bullet ranking but only your blitz ranking.
I hope I was concise in my comment, I wish you all the best and MANY good times on Lichess!

Hello and welcome ! it's so cool to see that there are chess enthusiasts! it reminds me that almost three years ago I was so enthusiastic, the proof and that I am still enthusiastic and motivated! the Lichess ranking system is not the same as in Over the board: lichess uses glicko which is adapted to online chess and works exactly like elo. like #2 said, you start with an average rating of 1500, with a question mark until your Ranking stabilizes around 20-30 games in each Time control. in your first games, you can gain or lose a lot of points, until you are stabilized in a certain range of Ranking. the Rankings are independent according to the time control (Ultrabullet, bullet, blitz, rapid, classic, variants) if you gain / lose points in blitz, it will not change your bullet ranking but only your blitz ranking. I hope I was concise in my comment, I wish you all the best and MANY good times on Lichess!
#4

Hello Tatiana and welcome to the chess community.

Elo (or glicko) ratings are a tool used to pair players of similar playing strength. In this sense they cannot exist in a vacuum, they only make sense when considered within the pool of players that you can be matched with.

If you have not played any game before, the system does not know your play strength, so lichess assigns you a "1500?" rating.

As you start playing more games, your rating should start reflecting your playing strength better, and after around 10 games you should get matches with players of a similar strength as yours.

I hope that helps.

Have fun, Maximilian

Hello Tatiana and welcome to the chess community. Elo (or glicko) ratings are a tool used to pair players of similar playing strength. In this sense they cannot exist in a vacuum, they only make sense when considered within the pool of players that you can be matched with. If you have not played any game before, the system does not know your play strength, so lichess assigns you a "1500?" rating. As you start playing more games, your rating should start reflecting your playing strength better, and after around 10 games you should get matches with players of a similar strength as yours. I hope that helps. Have fun, Maximilian
#5

As everyone has said, Lichess uses the Glicko system, and arbitrarily assigns a beginner rating of 1500. That of course changes as you play, gain experience, and win and lose games. Something most people forget: rating systems are designed to be elastic, they respond to changes in your performance. Have a good couple of weeks, your rating climbs. Have a rough patch, your rating drops a bit. So don't worry too much about what the actual number is. Every rating is only a temporary number, it will change with your next game. As someone once said, "numbers add up to nothin'"

In Real Life (there is such a thing, I am told), most national chess federations use the Elo system. In which case, your rating is not zero, nor 1500, nor any number. It is not established until you have played a minimum number of games. (In Canada, I believe it is 25 games. But that will vary from one country to another) After that minimum number of games have been played, your rating is calculated based on the results of those games. So if you like, the first 25 games you play are the "calibration".

the two systems are very different in this respect. With Glicko, you get a rating, a number you can call your very own, right from the start. And everyone you play against has an immediate idea of who they are playing against. (Might be a mistaken idea, but at least they have it) With Elo, you have to wait for a while. Depending on how often you play in OTB tournaments, that might be a long while. How patient are you?

But once you have been playing and have an established rating, they both work pretty much the same.

As everyone has said, Lichess uses the Glicko system, and arbitrarily assigns a beginner rating of 1500. That of course changes as you play, gain experience, and win and lose games. Something most people forget: rating systems are designed to be elastic, they respond to changes in your performance. Have a good couple of weeks, your rating climbs. Have a rough patch, your rating drops a bit. So don't worry too much about what the actual number is. Every rating is only a temporary number, it will change with your next game. As someone once said, "numbers add up to nothin'" In Real Life (there is such a thing, I am told), most national chess federations use the Elo system. In which case, your rating is not zero, nor 1500, nor any number. It is not established until you have played a minimum number of games. (In Canada, I believe it is 25 games. But that will vary from one country to another) After that minimum number of games have been played, your rating is calculated based on the results of those games. So if you like, the first 25 games you play are the "calibration". the two systems are very different in this respect. With Glicko, you get a rating, a number you can call your very own, right from the start. And everyone you play against has an immediate idea of who they are playing against. (Might be a mistaken idea, but at least they have it) With Elo, you have to wait for a while. Depending on how often you play in OTB tournaments, that might be a long while. How patient are you? But once you have been playing and have an established rating, they both work pretty much the same.
#6

@robertofromsekiro said in #1:

...what is my Elo before even playing a single game IRL? Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? Elo is in relation to others, not to one's own self (it doesn't exist in a vacuum, right?)?

Play at least 20 blitz games (no more than 4-5 games a day) and you will get a stable lichess rating. Then go to https://ethanlebowitz.github.io/RatingConverter/index.html
and it will calculate your FIDE rating.

@robertofromsekiro said in #1: > ...what is my Elo before even playing a single game IRL? Can one say my elo is 0 at the moment? Or do I have to take a diagnostic test say like 10 calibrated matches to do a proper evaluation so as to gauge my level? Elo is in relation to others, not to one's own self (it doesn't exist in a vacuum, right?)? Play at least 20 blitz games (no more than 4-5 games a day) and you will get a stable lichess rating. Then go to https://ethanlebowitz.github.io/RatingConverter/index.html and it will calculate your FIDE rating.
#7

@CSKA_Moscou said in #3:

glicko which is adapted to online chess and works exactly like elo.

No it doesn't. If it did, why would it have a different name? Also, Glicko isn't only used in online chess, it's also used by the USCF.

@CSKA_Moscou said in #3: > glicko which is adapted to online chess and works exactly like elo. No it doesn't. If it did, why would it have a different name? Also, Glicko isn't only used in online chess, it's also used by the USCF.
#8

The way to estimate a new players rating after 1 game is to take the opponent rating + 400 if the new player won, or the opponent rating - 400 if the new player lost. So you start to develop a relative score to the field after even a single game - but it will not be accurate in any way for quite some number of games.

Rating is a relative measure to a field of players. If you are not on the field you do not get any score.

The way to estimate a new players rating after 1 game is to take the opponent rating + 400 if the new player won, or the opponent rating - 400 if the new player lost. So you start to develop a relative score to the field after even a single game - but it will not be accurate in any way for quite some number of games. Rating is a relative measure to a field of players. If you are not on the field you do not get any score.
#9

Your first game you will be matched with someone around 1500. If you win you will be matched against stronger, if you lose someone weaker. And you estimated score will jump up and down wildly until Lichess figures you out. You might notice that when you win you gain several hundred points but your opponent only loses a few. (and vice versa) This is because Lichess already has pretty good idea about someone with 1000 games, but not isn't so sure about someone with less than a dozen.

Don't stress too much about your rating. Its ONLY* purpose is to match you up with people of your same approximate skill level.

Your first game you will be matched with someone around 1500. If you win you will be matched against stronger, if you lose someone weaker. And you estimated score will jump up and down wildly until Lichess figures you out. You might notice that when you win you gain several hundred points but your opponent only loses a few. (and vice versa) This is because Lichess already has pretty good idea about someone with 1000 games, but not isn't so sure about someone with less than a dozen. Don't stress too much about your rating. Its ****ONLY***** purpose is to match you up with people of your same approximate skill level.
#10

@AsDaGo said in #7:

No it doesn't. If it did, why would it have a different name? Also, Glicko isn't only used in online chess, it's also used by the USCF.

the elo ranking was invented by Arpad Elo, a Hungarian statician and physician, the glicko is an improvement of the elo invented by Mark Glikermann. the elo ranking gives the points more equitably between the two players, but it is more complex to use on a chess site. the glicko calculates the standard deviation of the rating of the two players, the elo is based on calculations of the probability of winning in relation to the strength of the two players
yes, both are used online but glicko is more often used online (and in Over the board, thanks a lot for your info!) because glicko is easier to use than elo.

@AsDaGo said in #7: > No it doesn't. If it did, why would it have a different name? Also, Glicko isn't only used in online chess, it's also used by the USCF. the elo ranking was invented by Arpad Elo, a Hungarian statician and physician, the glicko is an improvement of the elo invented by Mark Glikermann. the elo ranking gives the points more equitably between the two players, but it is more complex to use on a chess site. the glicko calculates the standard deviation of the rating of the two players, the elo is based on calculations of the probability of winning in relation to the strength of the two players yes, both are used online but glicko is more often used online (and in Over the board, thanks a lot for your info!) because glicko is easier to use than elo.

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