ELO Bracket Guide
New to ranked? Read this first
- Everyone starts around 1000 ELO. That's a placeholder, not your real level — the ladder hasn't measured you yet.
- Expect to lose your first ~12–20 games. The system is pushing you down to where you actually belong; this is normal and happens to almost everyone.
- It takes roughly 10 games to calibrate. After that your rating settles and matches get much closer and more winnable.
- Don't smurf or make a fresh account to dodge losses. It just delays calibration, wastes everyone's time, and ruins games for genuine beginners. Take the early losses — they're the fastest way to a fair rating.
Not ready for humans yet? Beat the Moderate AI consistently first, then the Hard AI. Once you can reliably win vs Hard, you're ready for the ladder — Hard AI is roughly an early-ladder opponent, and the experience transfers directly.
Want a guided path from install to your first ranked win? Follow the Start Here roadmap.
Specific focus areas by ELO. Fix the most impactful things first.