Is a 1300 chess rating good?
A 1300 rating is higher than 28.5% of active Lichess blitz players, 36.3% of rapid players and 23.1% of bullet players, measured on 1 September 2026. The median blitz rating is about 1530. Lichess ratings are a separate scale from FIDE and chess.com ratings.
Is a 1300 rating good in blitz, rapid and bullet?
In blitz a 1300 rating sits below the middle: it is higher than 28.5% of the 345,715 active blitz players, and 71.5% are rated 1300 or higher.
The same number ranks differently in each time control because each one has its own pool of players. A 1300 rating ranks highest in rapid (36.3%) and lowest in bullet (23.1%).
| Time control | Higher than | Rated 1300 or higher | Median rating | Active players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 28.5% | 71.5% | 1530 | 345,715 |
| Rapid | 36.3% | 63.7% | 1445 | 201,221 |
| Bullet | 23.1% | 76.9% | 1640 | 169,583 |
| Classical | 22.0% | 78.0% | 1560 | 12,241 |
How far is 1300 from the top 25, 10 and 1 percent?
The top 25 percent of blitz players start at about 1795, the top 10 percent at about 2010 and the top 1 percent at about 2375. From 1300 that is 495 points up, 710 points up and 1075 points up.
| Position | Blitz | Rapid | Bullet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 25% | 1795 (495 points up) | 1705 (405 points up) | 1945 (645 points up) |
| Top 10% | 2010 (710 points up) | 1910 (610 points up) | 2200 (900 points up) |
| Top 5% | 2135 (835 points up) | 2025 (725 points up) | 2345 (1045 points up) |
| Top 1% | 2375 (1075 points up) | 2240 (940 points up) | 2625 (1325 points up) |
How many Lichess players are rated 1300 or higher?
On 1 September 2026, 247,344 blitz accounts, 128,093 rapid accounts and 130,377 bullet accounts were rated 1300 or higher. In the 1300 to 1399 band alone there were 30,701 blitz accounts, 8.9% of the blitz total.
What do the ratings around 1300 look like?
Between 1200 and 1400 the share of blitz players a rating is higher than runs from 20.5% to 37.3%. The ladder below shows 1000 to 1600 in the three largest time controls.
| Rating | Higher than, blitz | Higher than, rapid | Higher than, bullet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 8.4% | 13.1% | 6.4% |
| 1100 | 13.8% | 19.8% | 11.1% |
| 1200 | 20.5% | 27.4% | 16.5% |
| 1300 | 28.5% | 36.3% | 23.1% |
| 1400 | 37.3% | 45.7% | 30.3% |
| 1500 | 46.8% | 55.3% | 38.1% |
| 1600 | 56.8% | 65.2% | 46.4% |
How can a player rated 1300 improve?
In this range the games that decide a rating are often won by the player who makes fewer mistakes under time pressure, so tactics, a small reliable opening repertoire and basic endgames carry the most. Review your losses to players near your own rating and ask which pattern keeps returning.
A first lesson with George Li starts from your own games and ends with a written study plan.
How were these percentiles measured?
Accounts that played a rated game on 1 September 2026, counted once per time control at the rating after their last game, bots left out. The hub page explains the method in full.
Frequently asked questions
What percent of chess players are rated 1300 or higher?
On 1 September 2026, 71.5% of active Lichess blitz players, 63.7% of rapid players and 76.9% of bullet players were rated 1300 or higher. These are Lichess players only, not all chess players.
Is 1300 a good rating for a beginner?
Lichess starts every new account at 1500 in each category (Lichess FAQ, read 2026-10-20), so 1300 is below the starting rating. In blitz it is higher than 28.5% of active players, which is a better guide than the number alone.
Is a 1300 Lichess rating the same as 1300 on chess.com or in FIDE ratings?
No. Lichess says its ratings cannot be compared with those of other sites or organizations, so this site publishes no conversion.
Sources
- Lichess open database, standard rated games (CC0), file for September 2026, read 2026-10-22
- Lichess FAQ, read 2026-10-20
- Lichess: Chess rating systems, read 2026-10-20
Related guides and tools
- Is a 1000 chess rating good?
- Is a 1100 chess rating good?
- Is a 1200 chess rating good?
- Is a 1400 chess rating good?
- Is a 1500 chess rating good?
- Is a 1600 chess rating good?
- Lichess blitz rating distribution
- Lichess rapid rating distribution
- Lichess bullet rating distribution
- Lichess classical rating distribution
- Average chess rating and a good chess rating
- Chess ratings explained
- How to get a FIDE rating
- Book your first lesson
Last updated 2026-10-22.
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