The ranking system
How ratings work
Orlando Chess Rankings uses a local Elo rating — the same idea as chess websites, scaled for club nights. It is not a US Chess or FIDE rating. One number follows you to every meetup on this board.
Everyone starts at 1200
The first time your name is added, you sit at 1200. That is the club average. Play games and the number moves.
Beat a stronger player, gain more
A win against someone rated above you is a bigger jump than a win against someone below you. An upset is supposed to count.
A close game moves you less
If two players are about even, the winner picks up a moderate amount and the loser drops the same amount. Nothing wild.
Draws are shared
A draw with an equal player leaves both numbers still. A draw with someone stronger nudges you up a little and them down a little.
One rating, every club
Friday, Tuesday, Saturday — it all feeds the same number. Filter a club to see who sat there. The rating itself stays city-wide.
The list is highest number first
Rank is by rating. If two people match, the one with the better score (win = 1, draw = ½) is ahead, then the one who has played more games.
What a game is usually worth
These are rounded. The exact change shows on each game after you record it.
| Matchup | If the first player wins | If they draw |
|---|---|---|
| 1200 vs 1200 | Winner +16, loser −16 | No change |
| 1400 vs 1200 | Winner +8, loser −8 | 1200 +8, 1400 −8 |
| 1200 beats 1400 | Winner +24, loser −24 | — |
For the curious
After each game we update both players with classic Elo, K = 32. You start at 1200.
New rating = old rating + 32 × (result − expected)
Result is 1 for a win, ½ for a draw, 0 for a loss. Expected is how likely you were to score against that opponent:
Expected = 1 ÷ (1 + 10((their rating − yours) ÷ 400))
We replay every recorded game in order, from oldest to newest, to get today’s numbers. White and black do not get a bonus — only the result matters.