Fide vs. Uscf vs Chess.com

I was curious if anyone knew an approximate idea of how all three rating systems compare?

From what I can tell it might be something like this:

Chess.com = USCF + 200 = FIDE + 300

Anyone have something actually based on data, not random guesses I made up.

Thanks

The available data, when the sample is large enough for statistical significance, reveals that no formula is valid. Some are higher, some lower.

I think its a "pool" problem. Many players are on this site who don't play in rated events in the real world. It is probably not incorrect to assume that those who haven't paid for a USCF membership are probably not as good on the average as those who do. Therefore ratings will be inflated.

This is just an assumption of course... not really sure of all the ins and outs.

Just from what I've seen it's a 200-500 point difference between uscf and chess.com turn based just depending on each individual -- but yes, it seems they're all inflated.

In any case Ziryab gave the best answer on post #2

So for FIDE vs. USCF, I found in the USCF Tournament Director's handbook - the general conversion is FIDE+100 = USCF, but that +50 is also acceptable if it won't change the section they're in (ie: used for pairing purposes).  Although at higher levels they're likely to be more even. 

Overall it seems that chess.com is inflated but not the 200 point difference from USCF.  Possibly more like 100 give or take.

The only diff. in all three is the average rating of the participants.

On chess.com the average rating of the players is around 1140. Which means; if 1400+ rated player on chess.com plays against player rated below 1000 repeatedly sumday he may reach upto 2800+ that does'nt mean he's capable of playing 2500+

Not only the average rating is different, also the average strength is different. And we can't know by how much.

And the other thing -- online turn based chess and online blitz chess are just not the same game as OTB standard chess.

That's a good point.  Often I'm confused when someone askes (as in a different topic) what kind of skills does a ______ rated player have?

Do they mean ______ rated as a national rating or an online rating.  If it's an online rating do they mean something like FICS or here on chess.com

If they mean chess.com do they mean turn based or live?  As you point out, a 1500 rated player is a very different strength depending on USCF, FICS, chess.com, live, turn-based, standard, blitz, etc.

In the past I looked up the top ten US players and compared their fide and uscf ratings and found that the uscf ratings were higher by an average of about 80 points. My own current uscf and fide ratings are not 80 points different.

USCF- 2236

FIDE- 2227

Top players in my state

YASSER SEIRAWAN USCF 2715 FIDE 2649

GREGORY SERPER USCF 2592 FIDE 2522

COSTIN COZIANU USCF 2547 FIDE none current, but FM title

EMIL ANKA USCF 2497 FIDE 2392

ERIC K TANGBORN USCF 2455 FIDE 2455

SLAVA MIKHAILUK USCF 2437 FIDE 2436

LOREN R SCHMIDT USCF 2430 FIDE 2340

ELENA DONALDSON-AKHMILOVSKAYA USCF 2340 FIDE 2340

MICHAEL LEE USCF 2412 FIDE 2363

KATERINE ROHONYAN USCF 2331 FIDE 2329

CURT D COLLYER USCF 2305 FIDE 2313 (not yet titled as FM)

CHARLES JAY JONES USCF 2290 FIDE 2225

ELLIOTT NEFF USCF 2275 FIDE none

Reb's slight difference is not atypical, and the USCF rules suggestion of +100 (note the USCF rules gives this formula nly for estimates used for pairing purposes) would tend to inflate the estimate based on this limited data. The alternative of +50 might be close to the average, again based on miniscule data.

Many of the top 13 listed here are not currently active. ASFAIK, Schmidt plays only online (he is one of few titled players on a website similar to, but much older than chess.com). Seirawan is listed as Washington, but currently lives in Amsterdam and has played a small number of FIDE games in the past few years, but comments regularly. Elena Donaldson and Elliott Neff both play infrequently, but are two of the most active youth coaches in the state and run many youth tournaments.

The list above is current USCF members. It lists me as #194 in my state at 1820 (my current, but not yet published USCF rating is 1857). If the list is altered to include only those with rating activity in the past year, my 1820 moves me up to #105 (my new 1857 will move me into the top 90). Activity is a critical element in the Glicko formula used on chess.com.

Love looking thru old threads...nothing is 'new' under the sun as they say.

Funny how chess.com gives FREE lifetime Diamond membership to the lower end of the FIDE spectrum. For example (and I'll not name names) I very quickly found someone with a FIDE CM title...who is rated under 2000 USCF (i.e., not even USCF Expert) currently and since they started playing OTB...and has played in quite a number.

Me, I was between 2000 and 2170 USCF OTB for right at 20 yrs at the same standard time controls.

Just saying, it is kind of strange, isn't it?

Get a official title and it doesn't matter what your rating is

Yup...clearly though all titles are not 'created' equally.  
There are  a dearth of FIDE time control events in the USCF...at least that are close to most of us (large land mass).

It's a quirk in the chess.com system of awarding 'free membership'. I certainly can't blame someone for taking advantage of it though.

Heck, I was initially awarded a Lifetime USCF Master title years ago during their first attempt at awarding 'lifetime titles'...still got the signed certificate. But they changed the qualifications later. So, does my title count toward anything? No. At least I assume not, I haven't checked with chess.com. The USCF doesn't seem to recognize it anymore as I am just a CM on their website.

But, it is what it is...just thought it odd.

If you ever got the NM title, then yes, it counts.

 Wow, you got really close ....

And I agree about the FIDE rated events problem. Most of it has to do with what it actually takes to get them rated. It is cost prohibitive, except for larger events and the arbiters have to be licensed, which adds additional costs. I haven't dug too deeply into is since the rating cost itself, for smaller events, isn't worth it.

edit: I just researched a bit more and being a USCF Senior TD may be all that is required from that end so that may not be a cost issue.

But I did not get the NM title...I got ta certificate signed by Larry King, Assistant Director USCF (June 1996) which says I have achieved the "Official Lifetime Title of LIFE MASTER". Sorry if I wasn't clear. But I doubt - from what I can see - that Chess.com accepts that.

In any event, over the past 30 yrs of tournaments, I've played in several hundred...more perhaps, and never has one been FIDE rated.

There have been a few within a day drive of me. Due to the way it takes to get ratings going (number of already rated players needed), it also can cause issues with the process. It probably is better now but still not good outside of larger chess centers.

Only FIDE CM counts, not USCF.

This example is pretty fitting:

Fide rating 2200 = USCF rating 2300= chess.com blitz rating 2200-2500