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How do Puzzle ratings work?

Learn how puzzle ratings work on Chess.com, how points are awarded, and what makes pending puzzles and rating adjustments unique.

Updated over a week ago

Puzzle ratings on Chess.com

Just like in chess, puzzle ratings adjust based on the puzzle’s difficulty compared to your current rating. For example:

  • If your puzzle rating is 2000 and you solve a 1000-rated puzzle, you’ll gain only a few points, but if you miss it, you’ll lose a lot.

  • If you solve a puzzle rated 2500, you’ll gain many points. If you miss it, you won’t lose much.

You’ll earn Progression Points when you use a Hint after making one or more correct moves, but you won’t receive any Puzzle Rating points.

How are puzzle ratings determined?

When a puzzle is first added, its rating is determined by who is able to solve it. After a set period, the puzzle’s rating becomes locked and does not change further. In some cases, if a puzzle’s rating is found to be inaccurate, Chess.com may adjust it to better reflect its difficulty.

You can make practicing rated puzzles more dynamic and fun by enabling Puzzle Points.

How do pending puzzles work?

Occasionally, you might encounter a puzzle where you receive one point even if you get it wrong. These are 'pending puzzles,' which have not yet been rated. About 5% of the puzzles you encounter will be new and unrated. You will never lose points for getting a pending puzzle wrong.

Pneding puzzles on Chess.com
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