All you need to know about how FIDE ratings are calculated

FIDE chess ratings are a way to measure a player’s skill level based on their performance in rated games.

two notable statistics about FIDE chess ratings as of February 2025:

Top-Ranked Players: Magnus Carlsen maintains his position as the world’s number one with an Elo rating of 2833. Following him are Fabiano Caruana (2803), Hikaru Nakamura (2802), and Arjun Erigaisi (2801). Notably, Gukesh Dommaraju, the reigning World Chess Champion, holds the fifth spot with a rating of 2777. Source: FIDE.com
Significant Rating Gains in 2024: Among the top 100 Grandmasters, Aravindh Chithambaram experienced the most substantial rating increase over the past year, gaining 64 points. Close behind are Arjun Erigaisi with a 63-point increase and Gukesh Dommaraju with a 52-point rise. Source: Chess.com

The ratings are divided into different slots:

Low Rating (Beginner to Intermediate)

0 – 1000: Complete beginner, learning basic moves and strategies.
1000 – 1200: Knows the rules, basic tactics (e.g., forks, pins), and simple endgames.
1200 – 1400: Intermediate beginner, understands basic positional play and openings.

Medium Rating (Club to Advanced Player)

1400 – 1600: Strong club player, familiar with tactical motifs and common openings.
1600 – 1800: Solid understanding of positional play, endgames, and strategic planning.
1800 – 2000: Advanced club player, capable of deep calculation and opening preparation.

High Rating (Expert to Grandmaster)

2000 – 2200: Candidate Master (CM) level, strong tournament player.
2200 – 2400: FIDE Master (FM) level, expert in openings, strategy, and endgames.
2400 – 2500: International Master (IM), one step below Grandmaster.
2500+: Grandmaster (GM), elite players competing at the highest levels.
2700+: Super Grandmasters, among the world’s best (e.g., Carlsen, Nakamura).
2800+: World Championship contenders.

In a FIDE-authorized tournament, players gain or lose rating points based on their performance against opponents, using the Elo rating system. The number of points gained or lost depends on:

Opponent’s Rating – Beating a higher-rated opponent gives more points. Losing to a lower-rated player results in a bigger rating drop.
K-Factor – This is a multiplier that varies based on experience and ranking:
- K = 40 for players below 2300 and under 30 games played.
- K = 20 for players above 2300 or with 30+ rated games.
- K = 10 for top players (above 2400, titled GMs).

Example: Gaining Rating in a FIDE Tournament

Scenario:

Player A (Rating: 1600)
Player B (Rating: 1700)
K-factor: 20 (since both have stable ratings)

Case 1: Player A wins

Using the Elo formula, the expected score for Player A was 0.36 (since B is stronger).

Actual score = 1 (because Player A won).
Rating change: 20×(1−0.36)=12.8≈+13 points20 \times (1 – 0.36) = 12.8 \approx +13 \text{ points}20×(1−0.36)=12.8≈+13 points
New rating of Player A = 1613
New rating of Player B = 1687

Case 2: Player A loses

Expected score = 0.36, actual score = 0.
Rating change: 20×(0−0.36)=−7.2≈−7 points20 \times (0 – 0.36) = -7.2 \approx -7 \text{ points}20×(0−0.36)=−7.2≈−7 points
New rating of Player A = 1593
New rating of Player B = 1707