Whats a chess rating and how do I get one?
A chess rating is an estimate of your playing strength based on prior results. Before completing 20 games, your rating is provisional and changes drastically after winning or losing. Later, ratings change incrementally based on your result and the rating of your opponent. (You gain from 1 to about 40 points for winning a game.) USCF assigns ratings to members who play in official tournaments. Ratings range from 100 to around 2800. You can lose rating points as well as gaining them (unlike in bridge) but you cannot lose your USCF rating. Once rated, always rated.
