How to be an expert in IT?

How can you tell if you’re a chess expert?

• I have been playing chess for several years. I played with family and now I play online. I also play against the computer in beginner and expert mode. I win and lose in both modes but lose more with expert mode. There are times when I lose to the computer in expert mode but also times when I win. So am I a chess expert or an intermediate chess player? Either way how can you tell if you’re a chess expert?

• Answer:

  There is an international Ratings System, run by FIDE, the international chess body. This gives everyone a rating from Anand and Kramnik at about 2800, down (in principle) to real beginners at 600. This system was devised by a man called Arpad Elo and is named after him, ELO ratings. The bigger the number, the stronger you are (a bit like playing conkers as a schoolboy). The United States Chess Federation runs its own rating system on similar principles and all chess tournaments that are organised in America will report their results in to the USCF, who will then produce a regular update of everyone's ratings. Computers are not allowed to be part of the ratings system, because by altering their settings, they can be made to play at various strengths and not produce consistent and reliable results. As with any statistical exercise, the more data you provide, the more accurate a rating you can be given. Over here in the UK (which has its own, different system of "grades"), we reckon your grade should be regarded as provisional until you have played 20 games. After that it is likely to be fairly accurate. So the short answer is play some tournaments, get yourself a rating and that will tell you how you are doing. All chess congresses will have ratings sections e.g. Under 1400, Under 1600, Under 1800 etc, so that players of roughly similar strength are matched up with one another. Nobody gets outclassed and demoralised, in other words. Everybody plays in every round, and if you just lost to someone, your next opponent should be someone else who has just lost, too. If you win a game, expect your next opponent to be somebody else who has just won their previous game, too. This is known as the Swiss System and it is a sort of hybrid between a league and a knock-out, combining the best features of both. Chess expert is a rating and title given by the United States Chess Federation. It is awarded to chess players rated from 2000 to 2199. Players rated above that are masters while players below that are class players. Approximately 400,000 chess players have USCF ratings, of which approximately 4000 are rated 2000 or better. Thus, chess experts are in the top 1% of all USCF tournament chess players. The title of chess expert is not awarded for life. Every time a tournament chess player plays a game, his rating goes up or down depending on the game's outcome and on how strong his opponent is. If the rating of a chess expert falls below 2000, he is not a chess expert any more.