Chess Rating Converter
Roughly convert chess ratings between Chessyo (Glicko-2), FIDE and US Chess. A clearly labelled estimate to compare online and over-the-board ratings.
The interactive chess rating converter loads here. It runs in your browser and is free to use.
Why ratings don't match between systems
A rating only means something inside its own pool of players. Chessyo, FIDE and US Chess all use Elo-style math, but they start new players at different numbers, have different floors and attract different players. That is why a 1500 on Chessyo is not a 1500 FIDE, and why US Chess ratings are often higher than FIDE ratings for the same person.
This converter gives a rough estimate of where a rating from one system would land in the others. It is not an official conversion, and no such official table exists.
How the estimate is made
Chessyo does not yet have enough players with verified FIDE or US Chess ratings to fit a mapping from our own data. Until it does, the converter uses a hand-made mapping that follows patterns widely reported when players compare their ratings across systems:
- Online Glicko-2 ratings that start at 1500, like Chessyo's, tend to run 300 to 400 points above FIDE at club level, and the gap narrows to around 200 for strong players. Blitz ratings sit a little below rapid ones.
- US Chess ratings tend to be 100 to 200 points above FIDE for lower-rated players, and only 20 to 50 points above at expert and master level.
- The lowest published FIDE rating is 1400, so lower estimates are shown as "below 1400".
The mapping is a smooth, increasing curve, so converting back and forth returns your original number. Results are rounded to the nearest 10 points to avoid false precision.
Worked example
A player rated 1800 in Chessyo rapid gets a FIDE estimate of about 1470 and a US Chess estimate of about 1610. Going the other way, a 2000 FIDE player would land around 2080 US Chess and around 2260 in Chessyo rapid.
Individual players can easily be 200 points away from these averages, especially juniors and people who mostly play one time control.
Frequently asked questions
What is my FIDE rating if I am 1500 online?
Probably somewhere below 1400 FIDE, the lowest published FIDE rating, if your 1500 comes from rapid on a site that starts players at 1500. The only way to know is to play FIDE-rated games.
Are US Chess ratings inflated compared with FIDE?
They are usually higher, especially below 2000, partly because of different floors, bonus points and player pools. At master level the two are much closer.
Why not use one official conversion table?
None exists. Federations don't publish conversions to online sites, and online pools change constantly. We will replace this rough mapping with one fitted to Chessyo data once enough players link their federation ratings.
Can I use converted ratings for tournament entry?
No. Tournaments use your official rating in their own system. Use these numbers only to get a feel for your level.
More rating calculators
- USCF Rating Calculator (US Chess Rating Estimator) — Free USCF rating calculator: estimate your new US Chess rating after a tournament, with K-factor, bonus points, provisional ratings and rating floors.
- FIDE Rating Calculator — Free FIDE Elo calculator: enter your rating, K-factor and results to see your rating change, expected score and new rating under the 2024 FIDE rules.
- Elo Win Probability Calculator — See the expected score and an estimated win, draw and loss chance for any two chess ratings, with the Elo formula and the FIDE probability table.