| Player Ratings |
What's My Rating?
The OSCF supports and endorses two rating systems: the NWSRS and the USCF. Players can find links to view their ratings through both organizations here.
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Spring 2010 All-Stars
See the top players in the state -- and learn about an exciting opportunity for those who earn All-Star honors!
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Can You Explain NWSRS and USCF Ratings?
What is the value of having another rating system? Are we trying to replace the USCF? How has competition in Oregon changed with two rating systems in place?
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| Frequently Asked Questions: Player Ratings |
Question: What is a "rating" and why do I need one?
Answer: A chess rating is a numerical grading that indicates the history of a player's performance - and a statistical prediction of his/her near-future performance among other players in the same rating community
A rating helps players to measure individual progress and seek out appropriate competition.
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Question: What are the rating systems available to scholastic players in Oregon?
Answer: The most common and widespread chess rating system is managed by the US Chess Federation (USCF), but you might also be familiar with the Northwest Scholastic Rating System (NWSRS) or the ratings assigned by various online chess clubs and chess programs.
The OSCF endorses and uses two rating systems: The USCF and the NWSRS.
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Question: What's a "good" rating for a scholastic player?
Answer: Ratings in the USCF and NWSRS from 100 to 2800. Chess Masters are 2200 and above; experts are 2000 and above. The vast majority of active scholastic chess players in America have ratings under 1200. If players have ratings in both the NWSRS and the USCF, they are often fairly close. Online club ratings tend to be a bit "inflated" over NWSRS and USCF ratings, and ratings assigned by programs like ChessMaster tend to be greatly inflated, so don't be disappointed if your first rating is significantly lower than what the computer tells you it is.
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Question: How do I earn a rating?
Answer: To earn a rating in the USCF, you must join the USCF for an annual fee and play in a USCF rated tournament. To earn a rating in the NWSRS, you do not have to join an organization or pay an annual fee. You simply play in a NWSRS rated tournament and earn a rating!
Some tournaments are "dual-rated," which means your play in the tournament affects both ratings.
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Question: What is the difference between established and provisional ratings?
Answer: Until a certain number of games are rated, NWSRS and US Chess Federation ratings are considered "provisional." While it is provisional, your rating may move rapidly up or down. If you have an excellent score against other beginners in your first rated tournament, or a not-so-great finish in a tournament with lots of experienced players, your provisional rating may be a bit (or a quite a bit) inflated or deflated. Don't worry. As you play more rated games, it will settle to a more realistic level. "Established" ratings are those in which a minimum number of games have been rated. In the NWSRS, the minimum is 15 games. In the US Chess Federation, the minimum number of rated games is 26.
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Question: I already have a rating. Do I have to start "from scratch" when I play under another rating system?
Answer: USCF: Scholastic players who are new to the USCF start out as "unrated" -- no other rating system rating is accepted as a starting point. When an unrated player competes in a USCF rated tournament, his/her baseline rating is based on age and performance at that first tournament. Thereafter the rating is based purely on performance.
NWSRS: Many Oregon players will be able to enter the NWSRS system with a previously established rating. If you already have a USCF rating and play in a NWSRS rated tournament, give the tournament organizer your USCF member ID and rating; that will be your initial rating in the NWSRS. When a player with neither a USCF nor a NWSRS rating competes in a NWSRS rated tournament, his/her baseline rating is based on age and performance at that first tournament. Thereafter the rating is based purely on performance.
No over-the-board rating system, that we know of, accepts computer or online ratings as a "baseline" or for new players.
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Question: Why does the OSCF think ratings are beneficial to scholastic players?
Answer: Ratings provide many benefits to both players and organizers:
As Chess Master Carl Haessler points out, "Ratings provide a forum where kids of all ages and playing strengths are able to measure themselves, not by comparing themselves to others, but by evaluating their individual progress."Ratings help players and organizers seek out appropriate competition.When appropriately used with computerized tournament pairing programs, ratings make for fairer -- and more exciting events. The winners are less likely to earn awards based on the "luck of the draw" in getting paired with less skilled players.
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Question: My NWSRS and USCF ratings are very different. Why is that?
Answer: First, let's define "very different." The USCF considers two players to be in the same class grouping if their ratings are within 200 points of each other. Ratings within 100 points are considered nearly equal by the rating algorithms.
Next, the difference can also often be explained by provisional and established status. Ratings are provisional -- and change rapidly -- until they are established. In the USCF, a rating is considered established at 26 games and in the NWSRS a rating is considered established at 15 games. However, the more games you have in either system, the "truer" the rating will be. If there is a big difference between the number of games you've played in one system over the other, there is a greater likelihood that the ratings will be different. Further, if you've played more recently under one rating system than the other, the rating gap will widen. For example, a perfect score under either system results in bonus points added to your rating. So, if you have a great performance at a particular tournament, it could impact one rating but not the other.
Finally, if your rating is under 1000, there's a greater chance for large gaps in rating. One reason for this is that U1000 players are still learning -- a lot -- and growing. Play can be unpredictable. But a more obvious answer lies in the fact that the lowest possible rating in the NWSRS is 400. The lowest possible rating in the USCF is 100. A win against a 400-rated player is "worth more" in rating points than a win against a 100-rated player.
As you play more and improve, and play in more dual-rated events, you'll probably find that your ratings settle out to within 100 points of each other.
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Question: What does it mean when a tournament announcement says "Dual-Rated"?
Answer: A dual-rated event in Oregon means that the results of one or more sections are submitted for rating to both the USCF and the NWSRS. The players' ratings in both systems will be impacted. If a tournament offers some NWSRS-only sections and some dual-rated sections, the dual-rated sections will be for the highest rated players. Anyone participating in a dual-rated section will be required to have USCF membership.
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Tournaments