Is a 1900 chess rating good?
A 1900 rating is higher than 83.2% of active Lichess blitz players, 89.4% of rapid players and 71.4% 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 1900 rating good in blitz, rapid and bullet?
In blitz a 1900 rating sits in the top quarter: it is higher than 83.2% of the 345,715 active blitz players, and 16.8% are rated 1900 or higher.
The same number ranks differently in each time control because each one has its own pool of players. A 1900 rating ranks highest in rapid (89.4%) and lowest in bullet (71.4%).
| Time control | Higher than | Rated 1900 or higher | Median rating | Active players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 83.2% | 16.8% | 1530 | 345,715 |
| Rapid | 89.4% | 10.6% | 1445 | 201,221 |
| Bullet | 71.4% | 28.6% | 1640 | 169,583 |
| Classical | 88.6% | 11.4% | 1560 | 12,241 |
How far is 1900 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 1900 that is already there, 110 points up and 475 points up.
| Position | Blitz | Rapid | Bullet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 25% | 1795 (already there) | 1705 (already there) | 1945 (45 points up) |
| Top 10% | 2010 (110 points up) | 1910 (10 points up) | 2200 (300 points up) |
| Top 5% | 2135 (235 points up) | 2025 (125 points up) | 2345 (445 points up) |
| Top 1% | 2375 (475 points up) | 2240 (340 points up) | 2625 (725 points up) |
How many Lichess players are rated 1900 or higher?
On 1 September 2026, 58,019 blitz accounts, 21,271 rapid accounts and 48,493 bullet accounts were rated 1900 or higher. In the 1900 to 1999 band alone there were 21,104 blitz accounts, 6.1% of the blitz total.
What do the ratings around 1900 look like?
Between 1800 and 2000 the share of blitz players a rating is higher than runs from 75.4% to 89.3%. The ladder below shows 1600 to 2200 in the three largest time controls.
| Rating | Higher than, blitz | Higher than, rapid | Higher than, bullet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1600 | 56.8% | 65.2% | 46.4% |
| 1700 | 66.4% | 74.5% | 55.0% |
| 1800 | 75.4% | 82.8% | 63.4% |
| 1900 | 83.2% | 89.4% | 71.4% |
| 2000 | 89.3% | 94.1% | 78.7% |
| 2100 | 93.8% | 97.0% | 85.1% |
| 2200 | 96.6% | 98.6% | 90.1% |
How can a player rated 1900 improve?
From here, results depend more on opening preparation, endgame technique and converting a better position, and the gaps between players are narrow. A game-by-game review with a stronger player is the most direct way to find the weakness that is costing points.
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 1900 or higher?
On 1 September 2026, 16.8% of active Lichess blitz players, 10.6% of rapid players and 28.6% of bullet players were rated 1900 or higher. These are Lichess players only, not all chess players.
Is 1900 a good rating for a beginner?
Lichess starts every new account at 1500 in each category (Lichess FAQ, read 2026-10-20), so 1900 is above the starting rating. In blitz it is higher than 83.2% of active players, which is a better guide than the number alone.
Is a 1900 Lichess rating the same as 1900 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 1600 chess rating good?
- Is a 1700 chess rating good?
- Is a 1800 chess rating good?
- Is a 2000 chess rating good?
- Is a 2100 chess rating good?
- Is a 2200 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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