Backgammon Pro: how the rating works
Backgammon Pro uses the ELO rating formula, which tries to represent the real strength of a player as closely as it can. Everyone starts at 1000. When you win a match your rating goes up, and when you lose it goes down. Over time it tells you roughly how strong you are. To update your rating, play a “rated game”.
You can use your rating to compare yourself with other players of the game. The chart gives a rough idea of how to read it.
It is harder to compare your rating with players on other sites. Not all sites use the same formula, and the overall strength of players differs between sites.
What affects your rating?
- Winning or losing. A win raises your rating; a loss lowers it.
- Match length. Winning a long match changes your rating more than winning a short one, because a longer match is more likely decided by skill than luck.
- Rating difference. Beating a higher-rated player raises your rating more than beating a lower-rated one.
- Matches played. New players see larger changes during an initial ramp-up period.
How strong are the game levels?
- Basic: not rated, too low
- Easy: 550, a very weak player
- Medium: 1150
- Hard: 1500, an average ranked player
Above about 1700 it gets harder to improve. Each win against a lower-rated opponent gives only a few points, and each loss costs considerably more. This follows from the ELO rules when playing lower-rated opponents (the highest-rated level in the game is 1500).
How is your title worked out from your rating?
- Under 1000
- 1000–1200: Trainee
- 1200–1400: Beginner
- 1400–1500: Intermediate I
- 1500–1600: Intermediate II
- 1600–1700: Advanced I
- 1700–1800: Advanced II
- 1800–1900: Expert I
- 1900–2000: Expert II
- 2000–2100: Master
- 2100 and above: Master II, Grand Master and International Grand Master
Learn more about ELO ratings
The Backgammon Pro team