Answers.Body: <p>This change, as well as other changes to FIDE ratings, was proposed <a href="https://www.fide.com/docs/presentations/Sonas%20Proposal%20-%20Repairing%20the%20FIDE%20Standard%20Elo%20Rating%20System.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>. Page 15 contains the justification for this particular change. According to the proposal, this was intended to have two effects.</p>
  <p>First, it decreases the variability of the initial rating. Before the change, players who started with high initial ratings tended to have their rating decline, while players who started with lower ratings tended to have their rating increase. Adding the draws tends to pull the initial rating to a middle point which FIDE hopes will more accurately indicate their level.</p>
  <p>Second, since most unrated players would ordinarily have a strength lower than 1800, it causes initial ratings overall to be slightly higher than they otherwise would. This is intended to combat deflation from players who improve after their initial tournament.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-05-04T16:17:10.883Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2024-05-04T16:17:10.883Z
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Body: <p>The <a href="https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B022024" rel="nofollow noreferrer">FIDE regulations</a> state:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Ra is the average rating of the player's rated opponents plus two
  hypothetical opponents rated 1800. The result against these two
  hypothetical opponents is considered as a draw</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>What is the logic behind including these two hypothetical opponents?</p>
  
Tags: <fide><rating>
Title: Why do FIDE initial ratings include "two hypothetical opponents rated 1800"?
ThreadText: # Why do FIDE initial ratings include "two hypothetical opponents rated 1800"?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-05-03)
  
  The [FIDE regulations](https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B022024) state:
  
  > Ra is the average rating of the player's rated opponents plus two
  > hypothetical opponents rated 1800. The result against these two
  > hypothetical opponents is considered as a draw
  
  What is the logic behind including these two hypothetical opponents?
  
  **Tags:** fide, rating
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2024-05-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  This change, as well as other changes to FIDE ratings, was proposed [here](https://www.fide.com/docs/presentations/Sonas%20Proposal%20-%20Repairing%20the%20FIDE%20Standard%20Elo%20Rating%20System.pdf). Page 15 contains the justification for this particular change. According to the proposal, this was intended to have two effects.
  
  First, it decreases the variability of the initial rating. Before the change, players who started with high initial ratings tended to have their rating decline, while players who started with lower ratings tended to have their rating increase. Adding the draws tends to pull the initial rating to a middle point which FIDE hopes will more accurately indicate their level.
  
  Second, since most unrated players would ordinarily have a strength lower than 1800, it causes initial ratings overall to be slightly higher than they otherwise would. This is intended to combat deflation from players who improve after their initial tournament.
  
  
  ---
  
  