Chess Rating Calculation

FIDE Chess Rating Calculation – Explained in Simple Terms

FIDE ratings are the official international ratings for chess players, issued by the  International Chess Federation (FIDE). the global governing body of chess. These ratings reflect a player’s strength and help them track their progress in official tournaments. But how is this number calculated? Let’s break it down.

Unrated Player’s Initial Chess Ratings Calculation

FIDE rating is a chess rating system developed by the  International Chess Federation (FIDE) to provide a standardized way of measuring the strength of chess players. FIDE ratings are based on a player’s performance in rated games against other rated players.

FIDE ratings are used to determine a player’s standing in the international chess community and they are required for participation in many top-level chess events.

The higher the FIDE rating the stronger the player is considered to be. The FIDE rating system is dynamic. Meaning that a player’s rating can go up or down depending on their performance in rated games.

You get a FIDE-rating by playing in FIDE-rated tournaments. There are three possible types of rating you might achieve: Standard, Rapid and Blitz which reflect different game lengths.

What is the ELO Rating system?

FIDE rating is a chess rating system developed by the  International Chess Federation (FIDE) to provide a standardized way of measuring the strength of chess players. FIDE (World Chess Federation) rating is a measure of a chess player’s strength and is recognized worldwide.

• A FIDE rating is a number that represents a chess player’s skill level based on their results in FIDE-rated tournaments.
• The higher the rating, the stronger the player.
• Players usually start with a provisional rating which becomes established after a few rated games.

FIDE ratings are based on a player’s performance in rated games against other rated players. The rating system is named after Arpad Elo. The inventor of the Elo rating system which is the basis for the FIDE rating system.

The rating is calculated using the Elo rating system which takes into account the strength of the player’s opponents and the results of their games.

The FIDE rating system is dynamic. Meaning that a player’s rating can go up or down depending on their performance in rated games.

How to calculate fide rating for Unrated Player?

To get a FIDE rating a player needs to play in FIDE-rated tournaments against opponents with established ratings. To calculate an initial FIDE rating for a player who has not previously been rated by FIDE. The player must first participate in a FIDE-rated tournament and play at least 5 games against rated opponents.

Here are the steps to get a FIDE rating:

1. Participate in FIDE-rated tournaments:

To get a FIDE rating, you must play in FIDE-rated tournaments. These tournaments are usually organized by chess clubs, national chess federations or other organizations that have been approved by FIDE.

2. Play against rated opponents:

In FIDE-rated tournaments, you must play against opponents who already have established FIDE ratings. Your rating will be calculated based on your performance against these opponents.

3. Score at least One half point:

To get a FIDE rating you must score at least one half point out of a possible five against rated opponents.

4. Calculate your rating:

Once you have played enough rated games, your FIDE rating will be calculated based on the Elo rating system. Your rating will be adjusted based on the strength of your opponents and the results of your games.

5. Keep playing:

Your FIDE rating is not fixed and will change as you play more rated games. To improve your rating, you should continue to play in FIDE-rated tournaments and strive to perform well against strong opponents.

It’s important to note that FIDE ratings are only awarded to players who have played in FIDE-rated tournaments. Playing in non-rated tournaments or online chess games will not affect your FIDE rating.

When an unrated player participates in a Swiss tournament the player’s rating is initially set to 0, which is considered the default starting value. In each round the player is paired against an opponent with a similar rating or performance based on the tournament director’s pairing rules.

For an unrated player’s rating performance to begin. He must score at least half a point against rated players in a tournament. He will get a rating, after meeting five rated players (in one or more tournaments) provided his new rating is 1000 or above.

How to Get an Initial FIDE Rating?

To receive your first FIDE rating:

• Play in FIDE-rated tournaments.
• Score at least 1 point against opponents with FIDE ratings.
• Play a minimum number of rated opponents (typically 5 games in one or more events).
• Rating will be published in the next monthly FIDE rating list.

Performance Rating (PR) Method with Example

After the first round, the player’s rating is calculated based on their performance in that round. There are several methods for calculating an unrated player’s rating in Swiss tournaments but the most common method is the performance rating (PR) method.

The PR is the average rating of the opponents that the player faced. Plus the number of points that the player scored in the tournament, divided by the number of games played.

Once a player has played enough rated games, their FIDE rating is calculated based on their performance in those games.

To calculate the player’s performance rating, you first need to calculate their performance in the tournament. This is done by adding up the rating of all their opponents and dividing by the number of games played. For example, if an unrated player plays four games against opponents with ratings of 1220, 1280, 1420 and 1680 their performance rating would be:

PR = (1220 + 1280 + 1420 + 1680) / 4 = 1400

The condition of a minimum of 5 games need not be met in one tournament: Results from other events played within rating period of not more than 26 months are pooled to obtain the initial rating.

 Example: An unrated player has played 4 games in a tournament against rated players with average rating of 1400 Then in another tournament 4 games against rated players with the average rating of 1250, and then in a third tournament 2 games against rated players with average rating of 1100. Let us assume that all these tournaments are in one rating period. The average rating of all opponents is (4 x 1400 + 4 x 1250 + 2 x 1100) ÷ 10 = 12800 ÷ 10 = 1280

Case 1: Assume the player has scored 2 out of 4 in first tournament. 2.5 Out of 4 in second and 1.5/2 in third tournament. The player’s initial rating is calculated as if he had played 10 games with a score of 2 + 2.5 + 1.5 = 6.0/10.

The result is 6.0 out of 10. It is two half (½) points more than 50 percent (5 + ½ + ½). For every half point add 20 to the average rating. The new player’s first published rating is 1280 + (2 x 20) = 1320

Case 2: Assume the player has scored 3.0/4, 0/4 and 2.0/2 in the three tournaments. His total score is 5/10. This is 50% score and his new rating will be the average itself, i.e.1280.

Case 3: Assume the player has scored 1.5/4, 1.5/4 and 0/2 in the three tournaments. His total score is 1.5 + 1.5 + 0 = 3.0, which is less than 50%. His percentage is 3.0/10 = 0.30. The dp for 0.30 from the tables is -149. His new rating will be 1280 – 149 = 1131.

FIDE publishes the rating list every month. It also publishes rating list for Rapid and Blitz tournaments separately

FIDE ratings range from 1000 to 2900, with most players falling between 1200 and 2500. The highest-rated player in history is Magnus Carlsen, who held a peak rating of 2882 in 2014.UNRATED