The ELO rating system was originally invented by Arpad Elo for ranking chess players. It provides a relative measure of skill — a higher rating means a stronger player. Ping Pong HQ uses the same mathematical model adapted for table tennis.
Your rating goes up when you win and down when you lose. The amount of change depends on the rating difference between you and your opponent. Beat someone rated much higher than you, and you'll gain a lot of points. Lose to someone much lower, and you'll lose more.
Starting Rating
Every new player starts at 1200.
Rating Floor
Your rating can never drop below 800.
K-Factor (Sensitivity)
The K-factor determines how much your rating changes after each match:
| Condition | K-Factor |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 20 games played (provisional) | 40 |
| Rating above 1600 | 16 |
| All other players | 24 |
Evenly matched (both 1200): The winner gains about 12 points and the loser drops about 12 points.
Upset win (1100 beats 1400): The lower-rated player gains a large number of points (~20), while the higher-rated player loses a similar amount. The system quickly recognizes when underdogs are underrated.
Expected win (1400 beats 1100): The higher-rated player gains only a few points (~4), since the system already expected them to win.
- Play more matches to move out of provisional status (20 games). Your rating will stabilize as you play more.
- Your first 20 games have the biggest impact — the system is learning where to place you.
- Don't worry about a losing streak. If your rating drops below your true skill level, you'll gain points faster as you beat higher-rated opponents.