International Chess Federation denies retroactive rating theft as new ELO rule sparks backlash

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has introduced a significant change to its rating system, removing the long-standing “400-point rule” for players rated above 2650. The move, which took effect on October 1, has already drawn criticism from several leading figures in the chess world.

Previously, if a grandmaster faced an opponent rated more than 400 points lower, the rating difference was capped, ensuring they still earned at least 0.8 points for a win.

With the rule now scrapped, the expected score can reach up to 100%. In practice, wins against weaker opponents may yield no rating gain, while draws or losses could result in heavy penalties.

FIDE stated the decision was made to curb “farming,” where elite players entered open events to collect points against lower-rated competitors. The debate was partly triggered by Hikaru Nakamura’s appearances in smaller US tournaments, where he gained rating points against opponents rated as low as 1800.

However, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said the rule was not aimed at Nakamura alone, noting that several other top players had used the old system in recent years.

The change has sparked mixed reactions. International Master Levy Rozman argued that the adjustment could make it harder for rising players to enter elite tournaments, while Hans Niemann suggested rating decay would have been a fairer solution.

Grandmasters Oleksandr Bortnyk and Daniel Naroditsky went further, accusing FIDE of “stealing” their ratings after a technical error caused adjustments to past results. Sutovsky denied this, saying FIDE never applies rules retroactively and attributed the issue to a miscalculation.

With negligible rewards for wins and harsh consequences for mistakes, some grandmasters fear the new system may discourage participation in open tournaments. Hence the long-term effects on competitive chess remain uncertain.