Can someone explain how the rating system works?

Care to elaborate?

There are many types of rating systems...

but they all depend on how well you play

At the moment, I am wondering about the mathematical nuts and bolts of the rating system on this site.

 Isn't there also a generally recognized worldwide system which determines, among other things, which players are designated as grand masters? I would also be interested in knowing how that works.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/rating-system

There's a link there somewhere.

i, for one, have never been on a chess team or anything of that sort (although i would love to be at some point in my life), so i've never received an official ASCF rating. who do you have to know to get in on the "official" chess scene?

(at yahoogames i think my rating is like, 1180 or something...i guess that wouldn't transfer, would it? )