Answers.Body: <p>You can select your starting rating on <a href="https://www.chess.com/register" rel="noreferrer">the register page</a> by changing the skill level options.</p>
  
  <p>For example, if you select "expert" your starting ratings will be 1800 (at least when I tried it).</p>
  
  <p>So, to answer your question, "How is it decided what is the initial value of the elo rating of a new member?", it is decided by what option the user chooses.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-12-31T01:04:06.353Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-12-31T01:04:06.353Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: seanysean
Answers.Body: <p>The ratings on chess.com are determined using the glicko rating formula, which is different from the elo rating formula. The initial start point in the glicko formula is 1200 so new ratings start at 1200.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-13T11:02:27.557Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-13T11:02:27.557Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jt-mitchell
Body: <p>I am confused about the starting elo rating of new members at chess.com.
  Most of them start at 1200 but some of them have 800, 1000, 1400, 1600 or even 1800. How is it decided what is the initial value of the elo rating of a new member?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-03-26T16:57:33.913Z
Comments.Text: I was under the impression that everyone starts at 1200. Why do you think that some people start at different elo ratings.
Comments.UserDisplayName: CognisMantis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-12-05T22:40:48.107Z
Comments.Text: # Summary of the glicko system: #
  You have a score, like you start at 1200, but you also have a RD (rating deviation). When you first play games, you have a large RD, meaning your actual skill could be 1200 + or - a large number, but it can't tell what that skill is until you play a lot of games, decreasing your RD. Hope this helps. ### Further Information: ###
  Look at this link: http://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-ratings---how-they-work It talks about the Glicko System. Ctr + F then search to find it or scroll down. Shouldn't be hard to find.
Comments.UserDisplayName: user1541698
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-02-13T00:56:14.170Z
Comments.Text: Apparently you can now pick your rating during registration. https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/rating-start
Comments.UserDisplayName: user1583209
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-05-14T11:25:47.843Z
Comments.Text: Yes, indeed you can, but of course, if you are not legitimately an expert at chess, you will find your Elo rating decrease drastically after playing several games.
Comments.UserDisplayName: LÜHECCHEgon
Tags: <rating><elo><chess.com>
Title: Starting elo rating at chess.com
ThreadText: # Starting elo rating at chess.com
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-26)
  
  I am confused about the starting elo rating of new members at chess.com.
  Most of them start at 1200 but some of them have 800, 1000, 1400, 1600 or even 1800. How is it decided what is the initial value of the elo rating of a new member?
  
  **Tags:** rating, elo, chess.com
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: I was under the impression that everyone starts at 1200. Why do you think that some people start at different elo ratings.  
  > **username_2**: # Summary of the glicko system: # You have a score, like you start at 1200, but you also have a RD (rating deviation). When you first play games, you have a large RD, meaning your actual skill could be 1200 + or - a large number, but it can't tell what that skill is until you play a lot of games, decreasing your RD. Hope this helps. ### Further Information: ### Look at this link: http://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-ratings---how-they-work It talks about the Glicko System. Ctr + F then search to find it or scroll down. Shouldn't be hard to find.  
  > **username_3**: Apparently you can now pick your rating during registration. https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/rating-start  
  > **username_4**: Yes, indeed you can, but of course, if you are not legitimately an expert at chess, you will find your Elo rating decrease drastically after playing several games.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-31. Score: 9
  
  You can select your starting rating on [the register page](https://www.chess.com/register) by changing the skill level options.
  
  For example, if you select "expert" your starting ratings will be 1800 (at least when I tried it).
  
  So, to answer your question, "How is it decided what is the initial value of the elo rating of a new member?", it is decided by what option the user chooses.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2016-05-13. Score: 1
  
  The ratings on chess.com are determined using the glicko rating formula, which is different from the elo rating formula. The initial start point in the glicko formula is 1200 so new ratings start at 1200.
  
  
  ---
  
  