What is ELO?
The ELO rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in zero-sum games such as chess,
or in our case, Lorcana tournaments. It was originally developed by Arpad Elo for chess competitions.
Each player starts with a base rating (1000), and this rating changes after each match based on the outcome
and the relative skill difference between players.
How Does It Work?
New Rating = Old Rating + K × (Actual Score - Expected Score)
Expected Score Formula:
E = 1 / (1 + 10^((Rb - Ra) / 400))
Where Ra is your rating and Rb is opponent's rating
K-Factor:
Determines how much ratings change per game:
- • New players: K = 32
- • Experienced: K = 16
- • Masters: K = 10
Examples
Beating a Higher-Rated Player
You (1000) vs Opponent (1200)
Expected: You have ~24% chance to win
If you win: +24 rating points!
Losing to a Lower-Rated Player
You (1200) vs Opponent (1000)
Expected: You have ~76% chance to win
If you lose: -24 rating points
Key Points
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Ratings are relative - they only matter in comparison to other players
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Beating stronger opponents gives more points than beating weaker ones
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Your rating stabilizes over time as you play more games
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Draws result in no ELO change for both players
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The system is self-correcting - ratings tend toward your true skill level