Starting new players with a lower rating.

I've been playing chess on chess.com since February. As like everyone, I started with a rating of 1200 and very quickly plummeted to a low of about 800. It has taken me a few months and using the tactic trainer to eventually increase my rating to over 1200.

My suggestion is to start new players with the rating that an average player has. This could encourage more players to continue playing on this site they would probally have a greater number of wins in their first few games.

i agree

EDIT: sorry didn't realize i necroed a thread. i was looking up this persons profile to see why he aborted lol

Isn't the standard to start unknowns at 1200? The point isn't for 1200 to be accurate to everyone, it is to start at a baseline and quickly adjust the rating to the person.

When I got into chess a couple of years ago I managed to win my first game and it shot me up to like 1400 which then I lost a few to bring it back closer to 1200, but 1200 seemed like the right fit at first. I'm sure there's some naturally gifted people who's starting ability is higher than 1200 right off the bat. Which is probably why 1200 is used as a good baseline to make adjustments off of.

It would take a pretty sad individual to need to win their first few games to develop an interest in chess (or anything else). People shouldn't expect instant success.

it's not that they need to win to be interested, but putting it at like 1000 is probably where others at their skill level is. baseline should be placed at where average is for beginners.