Chess is the passion of millions of people. For some, they become a favorite hobby, and for someone, the meaning of life and a source of income. There is a rather complicated hierarchy of ratings and categories, which allows you to objectively assess the overall level of skill of chess players and their current achievements. In Russia, ratings and categories in chess, youth and adults, are in the competence of the Russian Chess Federation. The international rating is compiled by FIDE in the form of a short list in which players from all countries are summarized and compared.
What is the difference between a rating and a discharge?
A rank reflects a player’s skill over a long period of time. Chess ranks are assigned for several years, they need to be constantly confirmed. Rating is a variable, it shows the current achievements of the chess player, depends on the player’s performances in tournaments and is calculated in points, the amount of which changes after the competition.
Ratings in Russia
Any chess player who starts playing in official tournaments, regardless of his gender or age, is assigned an initial rating of 1000 points. Below a thousand points, the rating cannot be. It grows if a player successfully performs at competitions, and decreases if a player is pursued by failure.
International rating
In 1970, FIDE adopted a new way of calculating the overall rating for all chess players using the method of Professor Arpad Elo. This settlement system contributed to the creation of an objective and clear hierarchy of players from different countries. The method is based on the mathematical assumption that the strength of any chess player is a probability variable that obeys a regular distribution.
Based on the current rating by the Elo method, one can mathematically predict the expected number of points a player will score in an upcoming tournament against certain opponents. The player’s rating increases if the actual number of points is more than expected, and falls otherwise.
FIDE updates short-lists with player ratings six times a year and publishes them on its official website. If a chess player did not participate in any official competition during the year, then his rating is “frozen”, but not reset. The chess player is temporarily excluded from the shortlist. As soon as he begins to participate in tournaments, all “frozen” rating points are returned to him.
The values ​​of the international rating can be roughly correlated with the Russian ranks and ranks in chess. So, the first-class player will have from 1800 to 1999 points according to the Elo method, the candidate for master - from 2000 to 2199, the grandmaster - from 2500 to 2699, and the super grandmasters who really claim to win the World Cup - over 2700 points. In addition to points, FIDE assigns players three honorary lifetime titles: master, international master and the highest - international grandmaster.
Among men, the maximum rating - 2889 points - was reached by Magnus Karlrsen in 2014.
In women, the palm - 2735 points in the summer of 2005 - in the Hungarian Judit Polgar.
How many categories in chess in the Russian Federation?
In Russia, two chess titles were established, as well as four adults and three youth categories. Ranks - a master of sports and a chess grandmaster - can be assigned to players from 12 and 16 years old respectively and are life regalia that do not need to be confirmed.
Youth categories were introduced to assess the skill of chess players under the age of 15 who study at a chess school or independently participate in tournaments. Nowadays, the rarely used fourth adult category is conditionally equal to the first youth one. The second and third youth ranks are assigned to weaker players.
Adult categories - first, second, third, and also a candidate for master - are given for two years, they need to be constantly confirmed. The categories can be obtained by a chess player not younger than seven years old, but on the same basis as adults, that is, having fulfilled the necessary norms.
How to get a rank in chess?
To fulfill the discharge requirements, the player needs to score the standard number of points in the tournament with a certain coefficient. The coefficient of competition depends on the skill of the participants. In simpler words, in order to get a rank in chess, you need to participate in tournaments more often and win worthy opponents, and it is better if they have an equal or higher rating / rank. The National Chess Federation has established the following discharge standards:
• For the first junior category you need to score 60% of the maximum number of points in a tournament with the lowest coefficient - 5.
• To get 3, 2 and 1 categories in chess, you need to score at least 75% of the maximum number of points in a competition with coefficients 4, 3, 2, respectively.
• To become a candidate for the master, you must first get two candidate points, which are awarded for the victory, or 75% of the points in the competition with a coefficient of 1, and then fulfill the established regional, republican or regional norm.
the confirmation
Within two years, the chess player must confirm his rank in the competition, gaining at least 75% of the required discharge norm. For example, a CCM that fails to meet these conditions twice will be reduced to the first rank, but with two candidate points remaining. If he does not fulfill 75% of the first-rate norm, then he will be transferred to the first category. Chess players with the first, second and third rank in chess are moved one rank lower if they could not score the number of points determined by the norm at three tournaments in a row.
Chess schools and the role of coach
Chess is multifaceted in developing a person, especially a child. From the first acquaintance, this game teaches young chess players independent logical and creative thinking. In chess schools, they not only teach the basics of the game, but also instill in children the most important social skills: sociability, determination, discipline, and the ability to relate to victories and defeats. These skills help the child develop into a self-sufficient, whole person, and the game itself, as a rule, becomes a source of pleasure and joy for life.
However, for professional growth, you need a chess coach. The choice of school and teacher must be approached with particular care. Now on the Internet there are many offers from chess players who promise to quickly and effectively improve the skill of a student of any level. But in fact, it often turns out that the main goal of these trainers is to get money as soon as possible. They do not have knowledge in pedagogy, experience and proven teaching methods, therefore they are not able to give the ward fundamental knowledge.
The main task of a qualified chess trainer is to instill in your child a true love of the game, an inquiring knowledge, a habit of daily work, and a thirst for continuous improvement. These mental qualities become the key to excellence. After all, there is no other way to success, except for painstaking work and thousands of games played and disassembled. The teacher will always provide moral support along the way, help solve a difficult problem and prepare for the tournament.
It is equally important for a novice chess player to be in a circle of like-minded people. Studying in a chess club or school, the young player is constantly in an atmosphere of friendly competition, which accelerates its development. He has the opportunity to compete with stronger opponents, he learns the taste of the first defeats and victories.
Documents receiving
It is easiest to obtain documents on the assignment of a particular category if the child is engaged in a chess school, the leadership of which usually decides on the question of fulfilling the discharge standards and issuing the corresponding document. From the player in this case, only two photos are needed in size three by four centimeters.
If a chess player is engaged in independently and speaks at tournaments on his own initiative, then he can obtain the necessary certificate of rank in chess at the physical education and sports center nearest to his place of residence. It is required to submit:
• extract from the protocol or a copy of the tournament protocol signed by the chief judge of the competition, this paper will be the main evidence of the player's compliance with the required discharge standards;
• a copy of the certificate signed by the head judge , which confirms the sufficient qualifications and composition of the panel of judges;
• passport data in the form of a photocopy of the second and third pages with the address of registration or birth certificate for a child under fourteen years old;
• two photographs measuring three by four centimeters.