Glicko and Elo -- not Gliko and ELO
The curious case of 1200: The Expert's rating
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Obviously someone rated 1200 in blitz on here is far from an expert but they will easily beat beginners and casual players, especially ones that are rusty. To be competent at chess and reach 1200 you must have played regularly for a bit and enjoy it so I guess that is the hump which most people don't pass. Plus not everyone appreciates the competitive nature of the game or can deal with losing. I can definitely understand why people give up.
1200 is almost halfway to grandmaster level, so it's not surprising that only very few players are able to play at that level consistently. Chess.com setting it as the default starting rating is probably just a way to boost the confidence of beginners and attract more customers.
Mar 31, 2017
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#25
lfPatriotGames wrote:
micky1943 wrote:
Who in chess ever talks about the "1200 hump?" I've been around chess for a long time, and I've never heard anyone use that phrase.
I would imagine most everything he says you probably have never heard before. He can be very creative about what he makes up or believes in. Finding any truth in his comments is probably more of challenge than any ratings hump.
Good points. I've 1200 OTB described by teachers like Dan Heisman as the point where someone can claim serious awareness of what chess is about, but it certainly does mean anything close to an expert level. I've coached high school kids and those who 1200 or higher I knew were self-confident and knowledgeable enough to give anyone a decent game - though in short time periods blunders were always a danger.
Mar 31, 2017
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#26
You will reach 1200, and then you will see that competition is even more fierce, with everybody wanting to go to 1300 and beyond...
And one day you will have 1600 or 1700 - and you will find yourself wondering, how come these 1100 players even know how the pieces move, and is 1100 even a rating.
A reasonably strong player can play without the queen against anyone with that rating, and win almost every game.
Mar 31, 2017
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#27
Hey 2QIC d'you wanna play a couple games I've challenged you to two 3 day games
macer75 wrote:
1200 is almost halfway to grandmaster level, so it's not surprising that only very few players are able to play at that level consistently. Chess.com setting it as the default starting rating is probably just a way to boost the confidence of beginners and attract more customers.
Yes, it's definitely the high level of chess. But choosing as the starting point doesn't make sense to me since people get shocked when they drop down to 500 quickly (The actual average for Chess players), and end up losing confidence.
Apr 1, 2017
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#29
Suggestion: Interchange the "1" and the "2".
If we're talking K-3 scholastic sections, 1200 is pretty strong but "expert" is not the right term. Or replace "expert" with "advanced beginner". It would be more than a bit misleading to say 1200 is "halfway to grandmaster level". 1200 is entry-level in adult tournaments and the study and playing experience involved to progress at the expert and master levels dwarfs the class rankings. It's like saying that taking a summer internship at a corporation is almost halfway to CEO.
Apr 1, 2017
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#30
It was a joke, the 1200 is halfway to GM. That's because GM is 2500, and 1200 is almost half of 2500. It wasn't meant seriously.
Sometimes we need to explain jokes here, so that people understand them.
At a guess, halfway to GM is probably around 2370, with at least one IM norm in your pocket. And maybe even that still doesn't cut it.
1200 isn't really halfway to anywhere. It can be a great beginning if one realizes that one is a patzer and has no idea about the game.
I can give an extra queen and defeat anybody with 1200 (who has 1200 or 1200-ish as his reasonably stable rating and does not cheat!), game after game after game.
Apr 1, 2017
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#31
What am I saying??? How can anything under full IM be halfway to GM? There are probably more than twice more IMs than there are GMs - so halfway must be someone who already has the IM title.
Apr 1, 2017
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#32
1200 is about 0.1% of the way to GM, I would estimate. 2300 is closer to 50% to GM.
Yeah 1200 is halfway to GM in terms of rating, but time/effort is implied to be what we care about 
Apr 1, 2017
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#33
Ask any 2300 player if he feels that he's really halfway to GM... most will sneer, and tell you that you have no idea.
You probably get something of an idea once you hit FIDE 2300 yourself and rub elbows with GMs...
As 1200 is concerned - I think that giving them 0.1% is being awfully generous...
Apr 1, 2017
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#34
Well, it depends on the player of course. Some players who've been at 2300 for 20 years will disagree, but I was implying the players who have the "potential" to become GM - perhaps the talent, time, will, money etc. In that case, 2300 is about accurate.
For example, I'm 0% of the way to GM, or IM, because I don't care to be at that level, and just want to get some title.
Apr 1, 2017
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#35
As for the 1200s, yeah 0.1% is too generous. Should be 0% after rounding and all that.
1200 is not easy to get as a beginner
Apr 1, 2017
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#37
<Cherub_Enjel> You do make some mighty good points there!
But if we only say "half-way for those who will make it" - then it isn't REALLY a universal half-way at all, is it??? :-) !!!!
A-HA !!!
(????)
<AA-ron 1235>. It certainly isn't, I agree. But you (or anyone with your rating) wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a 1900 player and a GM if you saw a game by either. People with low ratings have no idea what GM is or what it requires.
It's not the effort and knowledge needed to reach 1200, multiplied by a thousand. It's way, way more than that.
Apr 1, 2017
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#38
I knew pretty well a guy who was developing into a GM and let me tell you, he was awesomely impressive!
MUCH different from ordinary good players.
MUCH different from ordinary good players.
I am a ctually not a 1056, I am a 1500-1600
It's even worse now - players can start at 1800 if they want to. I believe chess.com should make all players, even masters, start at 1200, and work their way to their appropriate ratings.
Since they use Gliko (not ELO), starting at 1800 when you are not that strong will quickly have you dropping to your actual strength. A high RD value means a loss will result in a large loss of rating points.
What's the difference between ELO and Gliko?