Pairing logic on Chess.com
The pairing logic in Live Chess has one goal: To quickly find you a great match!
When you choose to play a rated game with a specific time control (like 5 min or 2|1), we try to find you an opponent who is closest to your current rating, because this makes for games that are rewarding and fun! It's also the most fair for everyone.
We also try to avoid matching certain pairs:
We avoid matching players who have poor internet connections with those who have solid connections.
We avoid matching players who frequently just disconnect or quit without resigning (aka 'Bad Sportsmanship') with those who finish their games properly.
To get the fastest, most fair game possible, all you have to do is select your preferred time control and hit the button--we’ll take care of the rest!
Matching for custom challenges
Custom challenges can take much longer to match! These options include unrated challenges (especially if you choose your color) and custom time controls. These options are GREAT for games where you challenge a friend! They just aren't as popular as open challenges.
You might also have a longer wait if your custom challenge includes specific minimum or maximum ratings for your opponent. In fact, *if you enter a range that doesn’t include at least ratings 25 points lower and 25 points higher than your rating, we can’t pair you using the logic described above.* Someone may still accept your challenge manually from Open Challenges, but it will take a long time.
Check out this article to learn more about custom challenges: How do I start a game on Chess.com