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Something strange is going on with bullet ratings

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Kotshmot

I recently started playing bullet here on chess.com. At first I played at around 1600-1750. Then I did the usual, got bored and started playing very casually and carelessly, not caring about the rating. I dropped to around 1300-1400. This is normal. Every now and then I feel like actually playing seriously, and I started noticing that often the 1300s show decent understanding and I wasn't winning games easily. It seemed that I didn't win games any easier than at 1600, where I could semi confidently get myself to 1700 if I wanted to. I tried to play at different ranges many times and always had similar experiences. I started checking their profiles when I felt this, and often found that accounts that have 1300 bullet are actually 1600-1900 blitz or similar rapid. Same as me.

I did a little bit of research and checked a small sample of 10 accounts I played at 1700+ bullet and 10 accounts I played at 1300-1400 bullet. It turns out on average the accounts in the lower bullet range were higher rated in other formats in this sample. Some of the 1700+ bullet players were 1200 at blitz for example.

To sum it up, I really have not felt a skill difference playing at the different elo ranges at bullet. Additionally, the other formats don't seem to correlate that well. 

This phenomenon could be explained by many things but I do find it a tad strange. I came up with a couple theories. Could be one of them, a mix of all or something completely different.

A) Maybe I subconsciously focus better, when playing at 1600+. I tried to eliminate this motivational factor, but maybe it happens anyway. The elo numbers other formats may just not correlate well at all in with bullet.

B) For some reason the elo system isn't working well in bullet - Maybe in bullet dymanic factors such as the setting you play in at the time, focus, experimenting new openings, and other stuff matters more than in other formats, and players ratings fluctuate much more at this range. Meaning, a 1300 today can be a 1600 tomorrow.

C) The lower ranges of bullet 1300-1400 happen to be stacked with older players with good understanding who generally don't do well in bullet, but stylistically they are a good match for me. The faster players at 1600 who may lack some of the understanding but make it up with the speed I find easier or as easy to beat, despite the rating difference. The style differences matter more, than in other formats.

xLaffite

ya i can get to 1700 if i try, but am comfortable at at least 1300

Kotshmot
xLaffite wrote:

ya i can get to 1700 if i try, but am comfortable at at least 1300

Yea bullet might be a format where more people play at their comfort zone, rather than highest ability. This can be one cause for more fluctuation.

HangingPiecesChomper

chomp on hanging pieces

Kotshmot
HangingPiecesChomper wrote:

chomp on hanging pieces

Sometimes I chomp and the other times I get chomped on. You really made the account and pumped up the rating to repeat this line on the forums?

ariel2350
Kotshmot wrote:

I recently started playing bullet here on chess.com. At first I played at around 1600-1750. Then I did the usual, got bored and started playing very casually and carelessly, not caring about the rating. I dropped to around 1300-1400. This is normal. Every now and then I feel like actually playing seriously, and I started noticing that often the 1300s show decent understanding and I wasn't winning games easily. It seemed that I didn't win games any easier than at 1600, where I could semi confidently get myself to 1700 if I wanted to. I tried to play at different ranges many times and always had similar experiences. I started checking their profiles when I felt this, and often found that accounts that have 1300 bullet are actually 1600-1900 blitz or similar rapid. Same as me.

I did a little bit of research and checked a small sample of 10 accounts I played at 1700+ bullet and 10 accounts I played at 1300-1400 bullet. It turns out on average the accounts in the lower bullet range were higher rated in other formats in this sample. Some of the 1700+ bullet players were 1200 at blitz for example.

To sum it up, I really have not felt a skill difference playing at the different elo ranges at bullet. Additionally, the other formats don't seem to correlate that well.

This phenomenon could be explained by many things but I do find it a tad strange. I came up with a couple theories. Could be one of them, a mix of all or something completely different.

A) Maybe I subconsciously focus better, when playing at 1600+. I tried to eliminate this motivational factor, but maybe it happens anyway. The elo numbers other formats may just not correlate well at all in with bullet.

B) For some reason the elo system isn't working well in bullet - Maybe in bullet dymanic factors such as the setting you play in at the time, focus, experimenting new openings, and other stuff matters more than in other formats, and players ratings fluctuate much more at this range. Meaning, a 1300 today can be a 1600 tomorrow.

C) The lower ranges of bullet 1300-1400 happen to be stacked with older players with good understanding who generally don't do well in bullet, but stylistically they are a good match for me. The faster players at 1600 who may lack some of the understanding but make it up with the speed I find easier or as easy to beat, despite the rating difference. The style differences matter more, than in other formats.

You do realize that there is something called "LAG" here?

chessplayer20002000

anyone who willing to have a 2000 rating account add me

YorsTruly

It's mostly because many players only focus on a certain time control that they like to play so they don't play other time controls very often. I have a friend like that who loves to play rapid and rapid only. He only plays blitz or bullet every once in a while. Also Bullet is not real chess so if your just fast you can ez get to 2200 no doubt. So many players who are lower in other time controls are higher in bullet and blitz.

Also many players in bullet have high peaks when you check they just start tilting and losing rating. So they aren't where they should be.