Are You More Than Your Chess Rating?

Chess rating not budging? Identify the habits holding you back and take our quiz to level up your game.

Are You Underrated? Take This Chess Rating Quiz

If you’re not a titled chess player like most of us, there’s a familiar struggle that hits us all at least once: Your rating can stay stuck for a long time. You know you're better than you were yesterday, but still wonder, "Why isn’t my rating going up?" 

 It’s such a frustrating problem that it can even make you want to stop playing for a while. I’ve been going through this myself lately. It made me think about which important questions I should be asking myself.

 So, I put some of those questions into a quiz.I hope my chess rating quiz gives you something useful to take away. 

You can find the quiz questions later in the post too.

A Chess Rating Is Not Your Identity

The Good, the Bad, and the Questionable Habits We All Have

Our habits, the way we make decisions, and what happens during a game can’t always be measured by a chess rating. You can grow in ways the rating system can’t track.

Some habits are easy to call good or bad. Others make you stop and think. When we look at them more closely, we can get a better idea of who we are as chess players and find ways to improve.

No player is perfect. What truly matters is understanding which habits help us move forward and which ones hold us back.

For example:

"I often find myself trying to save each of my pieces one by one, instead of coordinating them properly. (It feels like there are little fires all over the board, and I'm too busy putting them out to make a real plan.)"

If we don't notice these patterns and work on them, our rating can easily get stuck.

Focus on Strategy and the Rating Will Follow

Why solving this quiz might change the way you see your games?

It's not about being right It's about knowing yourself. Below are the questions from my quiz that can help you improve your chess rating, along with some of my thoughts.

• I measure myself only by rating.

Rating does not fully reflect a player's quality. What's more important is progress and learning. Your ELO rating shows short-term achievements but does not represent overall development. Concepts like depth in gameplay, strategy, and tactical understanding carry much more weight in growth. Additionally, every loss contributes to a player's development and should not be viewed merely as "rating loss."

For example, if your rating drops from 1500 to 1495 after a game, but you learn something useful from that game, you are actually be stronger than before.

• The feeling of 'I must win this game' pressures me while playing (especially against lower-rated opponents).

The pressure to win, especially against lower-rated opponents, can create stress. Playing with that kind of pressure can mess with your thinking and lead to emotional decisions.

If the need to win feels too strong, try using that energy before the game. Focus on planning well, staying calm, and keeping your discipline. This will help you stay more in control when the game begins.

• I believe it's best to play defensively when my opponent has a higher rating than me.

There's no single right answer. It depends on how you approach the game. Maybe you believe 'the best defense is a good offense,' or maybe playing it safe brings you better results. What matters is whether your chosen path is actually working. I wanted to dig into that idea a bit more. I also looked into what other players are saying on Reddit and Quora.

International Master Jorge Murakami has already answered my question. You can see it here: Is it a good idea to play more defensively against higher-rated opponents in chess? Quora

• I often accept piece trades without thinking about the position that follows.

Piece trades can significantly affect the development of a position. It's important to analyze the resulting position after each exchange. Instead of responding automatically, assess each trade strategically to improve your gameplay.

• Every move I make has a purpose.

Instead of making random moves, it's a good habit to assign a purpose to each move. This way, the game stays under your control.

Move 26

👆  I see this move as a different perspective.I have no advantage or upperhand. My opponent has no obvious weaknesses.I simply imagined a position.(I'm black)

Move 27

👆I began executing my plan by removing the first obstacle standing in the way of that vision.I wanted to sacrifice a pawn to remove the one standing between me and the white king.

Move 36

👆 Checkmate.

After move 26, you can analyze how quickly you might reach the position you envisioned.👇

If you want to see the full game along with plenty of blunders feel free to watch it here. 👇

• I mentally and physically prepare myself before playing chess.

Chess requires intense focus and discipline. Mental preparation before a game ensures your mind is sharp, while physical comfort helps you make the best moves.

• I focus on sticking to my own plan over analyzing my opponent's last move and its consequences..

Sticking to your plan can feel like the right thing to do, but if you don’t look at your opponent’s last move, you’re not seeing the full picture.

You might be two moves away from checkmating, but your opponent could be just one move away. A plan is great, but before you commit to it, you need to understand the threats first.

• I struggle to stay in the game after making a blunder.

It’s tough to stay focused on the board after a bad move, but it’s possible to turn that position into a learning challenge. Especially if you're like me, and your opponent isn’t a grandmaster, this mindset can actually work.

• When my opponent makes a mistake, I must punish it immediately. I shouldn't miss the opportunity.

Not missing opportunities is important, but rushing can also lead to mistakes.

Taking advantage of your opponent’s mistakes can be very effective when the timing is right. But if you try to do it every single time, you might end up playing too fast and without a real plan. Sometimes, waiting a few moves and building a deeper plan leads to better results.

• When analyzing a lost game, I don't take time to study my opponent's strong moves.

When analyzing a loss, we often focus on our own mistakes. However, skipping opponent's strong move means missing valuable lessons. This can lead to a narrow and incomplete understanding of the game.

• If a move takes too long to think through, I usually avoid playing it.

If a move requires deep thinking, then it’s worth thinking about. Making better strategic decisions, and eventually learning to make them faster, depends on giving yourself that time. If your current time control doesn’t allow room for that, you might consider playing longer formats. Giving up on a move just because it takes time to evaluate isn’t a wise long-term habit.

• If I notice my opponent is playing poorly, I might lower my focus and mak bolder moves. 

Taking advantage of your opponent’s mistakes is important, but losing focus can make you miss better chances. Keeping your attention high helps you make the right moves and ensures you maintain control throughout the game.

Does Playing More Games Help Your Chess Rating?

• As soon as I lose a game, I offer a rematch.

Offering a rematch often comes from wanting to fix a loss, but it's usually more helpful to look at the game, see what went wrong, and learn from it. This way, you can start the next game with a stronger strategy. Understanding your mistakes is the most effective way to improve.

• I want to take a short break from chess after losing a game, either out of anger or frustration.

Taking a "short break" might seem tempting, but analyzing the game while it’s still fresh can be much more instructive. If you need a moment, taking a few deep breaths is a good option, but once the game is over, it’s already in the past and that means there are lessons to learn.

Unless you're quitting chess for good, don't rush to close the screen. Take a breath and look back at the game. 

• I know I'm making the same mistakes, but I still don't take precautions, even though I say I'll pay attention from now on.

Knowing you're repeating the same mistakes is already a kind of awareness and that's a good start. However, saying "I'll pay attention from now on" doesn't help much unless it's followed by a change in behavior.

Common Questions About Chess Ratings

1. Elo rating and chess rating are the same thing?

   Chess rating is a general term that refers to the numerical value representing a player's strength. The most common system used to calculate this value is the Elo system. For a more detailed and clear explanation, be sure to check out this page on Lichess. It’s explained in a very simple and understandable way.

2. How is a first-time FIDE rating assigned?

   A new player has to play 5 games to get their first rating. These games are against rated players, and based on the level of opponents they play against, the first FIDE rating is assigned.

3. How Does the Rating of Existing Players Change?

   Depending on your performance expectations, you either receive a small reward or a big lesson.

   Imagine you're one of the top players in your neighborhood. Everyone knows you and expects a lot from you. If you play really well, no one will be surprised because it’s expected. However, if you play poorly, everyone will be disappointed, and your reputation will be affected even more.

4. How Does the Rating Calculation Tool on the Official FIDE Page Work?

The formula in its simplified form is:

New Rating = Old Rating + K × (Score - Expected Score)

• Score: The actual points you earned (win = 1 point, draw = 0.5 points, loss = 0 points).

• Expected Score: The expected score based on the rating difference between the two players (for example, if you are 200 points lower than your opponent, your expected score will be lower).

There is also a K-Factor, which is a coefficient that can change depending on your age and experience. For example, younger players tend to have a higher K value because their ratings change more quickly. Typically, this value can range between 10, 20, or 40.

You can see an example of how ratings are calculated under the Elo rating system section on the Wikipedia page.

If you want to try calculating a rating yourself, you can also use FIDE page.

Thanks for reading this. If you think I missed something, I’d love to hear your thoughts. It would be helpful for me and for others who are thinking about their own game too.

 Hope to see you in my next posts and hey have a great day!