Chess Elo Rating Calculator
Calculate your expected score and rating change after a game. Works for FIDE, Chess.com, and Lichess rating systems.
How the Elo Rating System Works
The Elo rating system was created by Hungarian-American physicist Arpad Elo and adopted by FIDE in 1970 as the official chess rating system. It measures relative skill between players — not absolute strength. Every rated game is a zero-sum exchange: the points one player gains, the other loses.
The core idea is simple. Before a game, the system calculates an expected score for each player based on the rating difference. If a 1500-rated player faces a 1700-rated opponent, the lower-rated player is expected to score about 24% — meaning they win roughly one in four games. After the game, ratings adjust based on whether the actual result exceeded or fell short of the expected score.
Where K is the K-factor that controls how volatile your rating is. A higher K means bigger swings after each game.
Chess.com uses a Glicko-based system and Lichess uses Glicko-2, which add a "rating deviation" measure to account for uncertainty. The underlying principle is the same as Elo: you gain more points for beating stronger opponents, and lose more for losing to weaker ones. This chess elo calculator works with all three systems.
Chess Rating Ranges — What's a Good Rating?
Chess ratings tell you where a player stands relative to others. Here are the FIDE rating ranges and their corresponding titles and skill levels:
Note: Chess.com and Lichess ratings are not the same as FIDE. Lichess ratings tend to run 200–300 points higher than Chess.com for the same player, because Lichess starts new accounts at 1500 while Chess.com uses different starting points. Neither directly translates to a FIDE rating, which is earned through over-the-board tournaments.
FIDE vs Chess.com vs Lichess Ratings
The three major chess rating systems use different algorithms and player pools, so ratings are not directly comparable. FIDE uses the classical Elo system for over-the-board tournament play. Chess.com uses a Glicko-based system for online games. Lichess uses Glicko-2, which adds a volatility parameter.
Rating inflation differs across platforms. Lichess ratings tend to be the highest because the system starts players at 1500 and uses a larger rating range. Chess.com ratings are generally 200–300 points lower than Lichess for the same player. FIDE ratings are the most conservative and only change through official tournament games.
A Chess.com rapid rating of 1500 might correspond to roughly 1750 on Lichess and around 1400 FIDE — but these conversions are approximate.
What Does Your Rating Mean?
A rating is easier to read next to other people's. The table below shows, for each Chess.com rating from 400 to 2200, the share of Chessigma users rated below it in rapid, blitz and bullet. Chessigma users are not all Chess.com players, so read it as a guide to where you stand among players who linked a Chess.com account here, not as a figure for all of Chess.com.
These are online ratings. For an over-the-board rating, use the FIDE rating calculator or the USCF rating calculator.
| Rating | Rapid | Blitz | Bullet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | 22.7% | 40.9% | 44.4% |
| 500 | 34.5% | 53.3% | 56.8% |
| 600 | 45.7% | 63.4% | 66.8% |
| 700 | 56.1% | 71.8% | 74.6% |
| 800 | 65.1% | 78.2% | 80.9% |
| 900 | 72.7% | 83.2% | 85.5% |
| 1000 | 78.7% | 87.1% | 88.7% |
| 1100 | 84.0% | 90.4% | 91.5% |
| 1200 | 87.7% | 92.6% | 93.5% |
| 1300 | 90.6% | 94.2% | 95.1% |
| 1400 | 92.7% | 95.6% | 96.3% |
| 1500 | 94.5% | 96.7% | 97.2% |
| 1600 | 95.8% | 97.5% | 97.9% |
| 1700 | 97.0% | 98.1% | 98.4% |
| 1800 | 97.9% | 98.6% | 98.8% |
| 1900 | 98.6% | 99.0% | 99.1% |
| 2000 | 99.2% | 99.2% | 99.3% |
| 2100 | 99.6% | 99.5% | 99.5% |
| 2200 | 99.8% | 99.7% | 99.7% |
What does a 400 rating mean?
A 400 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 22.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 77.3% are rated 400 or above. The same number is higher than 40.9% of blitz ratings and 44.4% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 11.8% of the sample is rated 400 to 499. Chess.com says that if you are new to chess, your rating probably started at 400 or 800, depending on the skill level you chose when you created your account.
What does a 500 rating mean?
A 500 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 34.5% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 65.5% are rated 500 or above. The same number is higher than 53.3% of blitz ratings and 56.8% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 11.2% of the sample is rated 500 to 599.
What does a 600 rating mean?
A 600 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 45.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 54.3% are rated 600 or above. The same number is higher than 63.4% of blitz ratings and 66.8% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 10.4% of the sample is rated 600 to 699, and the median rating, the middle of the sample, is 638.
What does a 700 rating mean?
A 700 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 56.1% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 43.9% are rated 700 or above. The same number is higher than 71.8% of blitz ratings and 74.6% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 9.0% of the sample is rated 700 to 799.
What does an 800 rating mean?
An 800 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 65.1% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 34.9% are rated 800 or above. The same number is higher than 78.2% of blitz ratings and 80.9% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 7.6% of the sample is rated 800 to 899. Along with 400, it is where Chess.com says a player who is new to chess probably started, depending on the skill level chosen at sign-up.
What does a 900 rating mean?
A 900 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 72.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 27.3% are rated 900 or above. The same number is higher than 83.2% of blitz ratings and 85.5% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 6.0% of the sample is rated 900 to 999, and the top quarter starts at 934.
What does a 1000 rating mean?
A 1000 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 78.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 21.3% are rated 1000 or above. The same number is higher than 87.1% of blitz ratings and 88.7% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 5.3% of the sample is rated 1000 to 1099.
What does an 1100 rating mean?
An 1100 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 84.0% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 16.0% are rated 1100 or above. The same number is higher than 90.4% of blitz ratings and 91.5% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 3.8% of the sample is rated 1100 to 1199.
What does a 1200 rating mean?
A 1200 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 87.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 12.3% are rated 1200 or above. The same number is higher than 92.6% of blitz ratings and 93.5% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 2.8% of the sample is rated 1200 to 1299, and the top 10% starts at 1277.
What does a 1300 rating mean?
A 1300 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 90.6% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 9.4% are rated 1300 or above. The same number is higher than 94.2% of blitz ratings and 95.1% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 2.1% of the sample is rated 1300 to 1399.
What does a 1400 rating mean?
A 1400 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 92.7% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 7.3% are rated 1400 or above. The same number is higher than 95.6% of blitz ratings and 96.3% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 1.7% of the sample is rated 1400 to 1499.
What does a 1500 rating mean?
A 1500 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 94.5% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 5.5% are rated 1500 or above. The same number is higher than 96.7% of blitz ratings and 97.2% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 1.3% of the sample is rated 1500 to 1599, and the top 5% starts at 1529.
What does a 1600 rating mean?
A 1600 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 95.8% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 4.2% are rated 1600 or above. The same number is higher than 97.5% of blitz ratings and 97.9% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 1.1% of the sample is rated 1600 to 1699.
What does a 1700 rating mean?
A 1700 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 97.0% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 3.0% are rated 1700 or above. The same number is higher than 98.1% of blitz ratings and 98.4% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.9% of the sample is rated 1700 to 1799.
What does an 1800 rating mean?
An 1800 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 97.9% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 2.1% are rated 1800 or above. The same number is higher than 98.6% of blitz ratings and 98.8% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.7% of the sample is rated 1800 to 1899.
What does a 1900 rating mean?
A 1900 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 98.6% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 1.4% are rated 1900 or above. The same number is higher than 99.0% of blitz ratings and 99.1% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.5% of the sample is rated 1900 to 1999, and the top 1% starts at 1962.
What does a 2000 rating mean?
A 2000 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 99.2% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 0.8% are rated 2000 or above. The same number is higher than 99.2% of blitz ratings and 99.3% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.5% of the sample is rated 2000 to 2099.
What does a 2100 rating mean?
A 2100 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 99.6% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 0.4% are rated 2100 or above. The same number is higher than 99.5% of blitz ratings and 99.5% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.2% of the sample is rated 2100 to 2199.
What does a 2200 rating mean?
A 2200 rapid rating on Chess.com is higher than 99.8% of the Chessigma users in our sample, and 0.2% are rated 2200 or above. The same number is higher than 99.7% of blitz ratings and 99.7% of bullet ratings. In rapid, 0.1% of the sample is rated 2200 to 2299.
About these numbers: Chessigma users are not all Chess.com players. These are people who linked a Chess.com account to Chessigma, and each rating is the current one Chess.com's public API returned when we read the profile, between July 25 and October 22, 2026. Each person and each Chess.com account counts once, and accounts linked by five or more different people, such as famous players' accounts, are left out. Only Chess.com ratings are included, and the figures are a snapshot taken on October 23, 2026, not a live count.
How to Improve Your Chess Rating
- Analyze every game you play. Reviewing your games with an engine shows you exactly where you went wrong and what you missed. This is the single most effective way to improve.
- Solve tactical puzzles daily. Pattern recognition wins games. Regular puzzle practice builds the tactical awareness that prevents blunders.
- Study your openings. You don't need deep theory, but knowing the first 5–10 moves of your main openings keeps you out of trouble early.
- Play longer time controls. Rapid and classical games force you to think deeply, building habits that carry over to faster formats.
- Focus on endgames. Most beginner and intermediate games are decided in the endgame. Knowing basic checkmate patterns and king-pawn endgames makes a huge difference.
For board vision and memory on their own, try the chess brain games: short tests scored against other players.
Study a chess opening
Play the main lines move by move in the free chess openings trainer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Elo rating calculated?
The Elo system uses a formula based on the difference between two players' ratings. Your expected score is calculated as 1 / (1 + 10^((OpponentRating - YourRating) / 400)). After a game, your new rating equals your old rating plus K times (actual score minus expected score). The K-factor determines how much each game affects your rating.
What is a good chess rating?
A FIDE rating of 1200–1400 is a solid beginner with fundamentals. 1600–1800 is intermediate. 2000+ is an advanced club player. 2200+ earns the Candidate Master title, and 2500+ is Grandmaster level. Most casual players on Chess.com or Lichess fall between 800 and 1500.
Are Chess.com ratings the same as FIDE?
No. Chess.com uses the Glicko system, Lichess uses Glicko-2, and FIDE uses classical Elo. Ratings are not directly comparable across platforms. Lichess ratings tend to run 200–300 points higher than Chess.com for the same player. FIDE ratings are earned only through over-the-board tournament play.
What K-factor should I use?
FIDE uses K=40 for new players (under 30 rated games), K=20 for players rated under 2400, and K=10 for players rated 2400 and above. Chess.com and Lichess use dynamic K-factors that decrease as you play more games. A higher K-factor means your rating changes more after each game.
Can my Elo rating go down from a draw?
Yes. If your opponent is rated significantly lower than you, a draw is considered an underperformance. Your expected score against a weaker opponent is above 0.5, so drawing (0.5 actual score) results in a negative rating change. The bigger the rating gap, the more points you lose from a draw.
Is 1000 a good chess rating?
It depends on who you compare it with. Among Chessigma users, a 1000 Chess.com rapid rating is higher than 78.7% of players, and the median rapid rating in the same group is 638. In blitz 1000 is higher than 87.1%, and in bullet 88.7%. Chessigma users are not all Chess.com players, and a FIDE rating is a different scale again.
Is 1200 a good rating on Chess.com?
Among Chessigma users, a 1200 Chess.com rapid rating is higher than 87.7% of players, and 12.3% are rated 1200 or above. In blitz it is higher than 92.6%, and in bullet 93.5%. The sample is 57,509 rapid, 45,744 blitz and 39,258 bullet ratings read between July 25 and October 22, 2026. Chessigma users are not all Chess.com players, so the share among everyone on Chess.com can differ.
What rating puts you in the top 10% on Chess.com?
Among Chessigma users, the top 10% starts at 1277 in rapid, 1083 in blitz and 1034 in bullet, and the top 1% starts at 1962, 1907 and 1852. Chessigma users are not all Chess.com players, so the cut-offs among everyone on Chess.com can differ.
Is a blitz rating the same as a rapid rating?
No. Chess.com keeps a separate rating for each time control, and each one moves only with games played at that time control. Among Chessigma users the median is 638 in rapid, 470 in blitz and 440 in bullet, so between 400 and 1900 the same number ranks higher in blitz and bullet than it does in rapid.
Where do these rating figures come from?
We took the current Chess.com rating of each Chessigma user whose profile we read from Chess.com's public API between July 25 and October 22, 2026, kept one rating per person and per Chess.com account, and left out accounts linked by five or more different people. For each rating, the table gives the share of players rated strictly below it. Only Chess.com ratings are counted, and the figures are a snapshot from October 23, 2026, not a live count.