Ratings

Definition: Numbers which represent the estimated strength of a chess player. Ratings are issued by FIDE, national federations, chess servers and other organizations. While ratings vary depending on the body that issues them, beginners are typically rated below 1000, average tournament players around 1500, and masters at 2200 or higher. The top players in the world are often rated around 2800. The highest FIDE rating ever achieved was 2851, by Garry Kasparov.