There is no actual conversion from USF or FIDE rating to online ratings, they are completely different. That being said, there have been some surveys which can give you a rough estimation:
https://chessgoals.com/rating-comparison/
That being said, 470 is a beginner rating and you probably shouldn't care about rating right now.
Openings are not really important on your level. Just choose 1.e4 or 1.d4 and go from there.
Openings are specific first few moves played on the board. What does this mean. It means that if you want to play queens gambit which is :
1.d4 d5 2. c4, Openings are cause by your and your opponent's moves, so your opponent can avoid it by playing something else than 1. ...d5, for instance if he plays 1. ...Nf6 (which can later go to some other openings like Kings Indian Defense, Queens Indian Defense, Grunefeld etc.). For the sake of conversation after 1. ...Nf6 2.c4 you can transpose back into Queens gambit if he plays 2.d5 (same position different move order).
In any case, on that level, you will choose your first move, and after a few games you will decide on what you will do on various opponents responses. Don't memorize more than 3-5 first moves on this level. It is useless because people on that level don't play mainline openings so you will get non standard stuff.
Now, this was from white side of things. If you are black, you can go for queens gambit accepted or declined which is played more often 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 (QG declined) if white goes for 1.d4 and then 2.c4. In any other case, you can't use queens gambit as black. If white plays 1.e4 it will be completely different opening.
One more thing. I see that you have diamond membership. The main point of it is to use video section here (only diamond members have access to it). Go through rules and basics section there first, then at no particular order go through (tactics, strategy and endgames sections). That is in case you will have that membership for a longer time, and it is not just a free trial. 
some beginners questions
Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
thanks for leading me to the most valuable learning aids..
its now almost three weeks since re- visiting chess as a pasttime. i am having trouble with opening play. can someone please direct me to a good opening for black, that gives me a fighting chance. when i have black, the f2 square is a sore point. also i would gladly welcome effective white openings, i use the ruy lopez as white presently. thanks in advance.
#5
Do not worry about openings, they do not decide games, middlegame tactics and blunders decide games.
Queen's Gambit and Ruy Lopez are excellent openings, no need to look further.
Never rush the opening, always think carefully before you move.
Four opening principles:
1) Only play your d- and e- pawns
2) Play knights before bishops
3) Do not move the same piece twice
4) Do not pin the f6/f3 knight with Bg5/Bg4 before the opponent has castled O-O
All 4 principles have exceptions, but if you follow these, then you are fine.
You should learn an opening that you are very comfortable with and play it exclusively at one point and follow the opening principles:
Develop your pieces. This is the absolute number 1 most important rule of the opening. ...
Don't make too many pawn moves. ...
Don't bring your queen out too early. ...
Don't move the same piece twice. ...
Castle early. ...
Develop towards the centre. ...
Clear the back rank and connect your rooks.
All four phases of the game are equally important:1) the opening 2) the strategic part 3) the tactical one 4) the ending part.
You have videos and books on all four.
This is a few opening that i suggest that are very easy to learn and very solid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFod-ozimmM&t=556s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGFl4GjVvrA
Do a few tactical puzzles every day like at least 20-30 min for a few months by themes,that will help you a lot.
Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
thanks to all for the ample information and quick replies.
I disagree 100%;every move are important and anyone who start with a4 is making a mistake and a beginner cannot be strong at tactics,two stupids comments from him.
He contradict himself,if you follow all the opening principles you are playing an opening;maybe a subpar one for your level but you are playing one.
He's obviously exaggerating to make a point (that's his style), which is: studying opening variations is a waste of time until a certain level. The precious time should be spent on other things.
One does not improve at lower levels by improving his/her opening repertoire, but by getting better at tactics and learning not to blunder.
While 1.a4 is a mistake, it is never a mistake that determines the outcome of a game between two low rated players, thus practically irrelevant.
You should learn an opening that you are very comfortable with and play it exclusively at one point and follow the opening principles:
Develop your pieces. This is the absolute number 1 most important rule of the opening. ...
Don't make too many pawn moves. ...
Don't bring your queen out too early. ...
Don't move the same piece twice. ...
Castle early. ...
Develop towards the centre. ...
Clear the back rank and connect your rooks.
All four phases of the game are equally important:1) the opening 2) the strategic part 3) the tactical one 4) the ending part.
You have videos and books on all four.
This is a few opening that i suggest that are very easy to learn and very solid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFod-ozimmM&t=556s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGFl4GjVvrA
Do a few tactical puzzles every day like at least 20-30 min for a few months by themes,that will help you a lot.
Why is a cheater giving tips?
He's obviously exaggerating to make a point (that's just his style), which is: studying opening variations is a waste of time until a certain level. The precious time should be spent on other things.
One does not improve at lower levels by improving his/her opening repertoire, but by getting better at tactics and learning not to blunder.
While 1.a4 is a mistake, it is never a mistake that determines the outcome of a game when two low rated players are playing, thus practically irrelevant.
It's not irrelevant on this site because here most above 1000 know their opening well and a 1000 is a very low rated player.
He's obviously exaggerating to make a point (that's just his style), which is: studying opening variations is a waste of time until a certain level. The precious time should be spent on other things.
One does not improve at lower levels by improving his/her opening repertoire, but by getting better at tactics and learning not to blunder.
While 1.a4 is a mistake, it is never a mistake that determines the outcome of a game when two low rated players are playing, thus practically irrelevant.
It's not irrelevant on this site because here anyone above 1000 play his opening very well and a 1000 is a very low rated player.
Lol. We must be playing on different sites.
He's obviously exaggerating to make a point (that's just his style), which is: studying opening variations is a waste of time until a certain level. The precious time should be spent on other things.
One does not improve at lower levels by improving his/her opening repertoire, but by getting better at tactics and learning not to blunder.
While 1.a4 is a mistake, it is never a mistake that determines the outcome of a game when two low rated players are playing, thus practically irrelevant.
It's not irrelevant on this site because here anyone above 1000 play his opening very well and a 1000 is a very low rated player.
Lol. We must be playing on different sites.
Yes we must or maybe because of the covid 19 everything changed in the last year?
Or maybe you didn't play 20+ games against the 1000 to 1250 here is years?
You still lost 5 games against players under 1223 in your last games (against a 1134,and a 1206,and a 1223 and a 1166 and a 1222).
It's a good thing that they all knew no opening!
i just joined the community. a few questions about chess and this site. firstly i have a rating on this site of 470, what does that translate into in relation to how uscf calculates it's ratings.
secondly i am trying to find the best opening for black and think queen's gambit is my choice.
what defines a opening as a certain kind. is it the first2 pawn moves only or is it defined when more moves are made in the game?
as an aside, the puzzles and the lessons are very impressive. very nice to learn something new such as chess.