Qualitative Ratings Guide
Peter Paul
from observations of scholastic chess as well as USCF chess
tournaments. One of the first questions I get when I play
one of my unrated friends is "what do you think my rating
is?" This guide might help if you get similar questions.
Don't flame me for it not being accurate, but I'd welcome
suggestions...
Qualitative Ratings Guide
-------------------------
USCF
500 Knows how the pieces move, doesn't have a firm grasp of
the rules of castling (especially q-side) and doesn't
know about en passant. Will leave any piece en prise
including the king. Often games result in illegal
positions. Endgame is seldom reached.
800 Average "layperson" chess player i.e. never heard of USCF
(or CCA or FIDE or whatever),
chess notations, chess books. Knows castling, but
may not know of en passant. Doesn't leave king en prise,
but will leave any other piece en prise. Loves the queens.
Games are often decided by which player hangs queen first.
Difficulty in figuring how to
mate with K+Q+R vs. k. Difficulty in avoiding
stalemate in K+Q vs. k.
1000 Starting to realize that there is a body of chess "theory"
including tactics and strategy, opening, middle and
endgames. Loves forks. Generally does not leave pieces
en prise. Easily figures out how to mate with K+Q vs. k.
1200 Knows an opening for white, usually the Italian or the
Four Knights. Strives for development in opening, but
doesn't know what to do with it afterwards. Can see 1 ply
ahead regularly, 2 if trying hard. Can see a mate in 1.
Knows forks, pins, skewers. Stalemates often in won
K+P vs. k endgames (oposition). Easily figures out how to
mate with K+R vs. k.
Difficulty in figuring out how to mate with K+B+B vs. k.
1500 Average rating for USCF members (or there abouts).
Has an opening for W and B vs. KP and QP.
If KP player then knows the fried liver attack cold. If QP
player then knows the Cambridge Springs cold.
Usually takes a
2 or more move combination to hang a piece. Can solve
many mate-in-n problems if given enough time. "Visualizes"
the chess board. Almost always defeats those rated below 1000.
Attempts to play some lay people blind folded, but
finds it more difficult than it looks. Easily figures
out how to mate
with K+B+B vs. K. Knows how to mate with K+B+N vs. k.
Although very conversant in tactics, strategy seems a
bit of a mystery.
1700 About the average rating of tournament players.
Has a definite feel for which positions are
comfortable and which are potentially dangerous.
Easily crushes laypeople when giving multiboard
simuls.
Rarely hangs pieces, but for multimove combinations.
Understands methods of attacking the castled king position.
Has trouble sacrificing material for positional
compensation. Believes that to get better, they must
study the endgame.
1900 Has reached the top %15 or so of all rated players. Can
actually understands some of the GM games published,
espcially in openings that s/he plays. Understands
many positional weaknesses and how to exploit them,
i.e. minority attack, backward pawn, isolated pawn,
bad bishop. Looks for good squares for knights. Can
sacrifice the exchange with success. Easily
gets positional advantages against computers, though
doesn't always win. Knows some basic K+R+P vs. k+r
endgames. Believes that s/he could easily become
a master, but for the time needed.
2000 (I'm only mid 1900's so how woiuld I know :-) )
2200 ??
2400 ??
-Peter
--
"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand,
ignorance, and prejudice, and fear go hand in hand."
- N. Peart
Peter Paul, p...@r2d2.eeap.cwru.edu