rating is just a number

When I meet a chess player, usually one of the first things they ask me is what my rating is. I honestly don't know the best answer! There's my USCF rating which has gone from 1100 to 1700 in the four or five tournaments I've played in the last ten years, my online chess rating which has been between 2000 and 2100 for about a year, my blitz rating - 1800, and the list goes on. Instead of an exact number calculated by a player's wins/losses in a tournament setting, I believe in a rating range that typically stretches 200 to 400 points. I have truly met people who play like a 1400 one day and an 1800 the next, and I have also met people who are more consistent. Over the board, I have had even sets and unfavorable sets with players in the 2000s. Anyone over 2200 I will draw half the time if I'm lucky. I typically beat 1600s 80 percent of the time and 1800s 60 percent of the time. So with all this in mind, I usually tell people I'm somewhere between class A and expert and that I'm not an active tournament player. I think this is a more accurate answer than a number that's not supported by an adequate amount of games. I am just sharing thoughts but any input is appreciated!

I also believe there are many factors in one's game. Strengths and weaknesses are something to be considered. All too often i see player A beat B who beats C who beats A.

I am in almost exactly the same position, have a FIDE profile but no rating yet ( I am maybe between 1800-2000 although I am not consistent with my results)

If you are in the US when asked, then most people just want to know your USCF rating. I have asked the question before but mainly to gauge approximate strength, especially if trying to determine who might be a challenging, but not too challenging, opponent (such as at the club).

Curious, here is just the opposite, nobody cares about FEDA (Spanish) rating, FIDE one is what matters.

well, compare what is comparable, USCF ratings are not calculated the same way as FIDE ratings are.

Compare a chess.com rating with other people's chess.com ratings, FIDE with other's FIDE and USCF with other's USCF.

Distinguish also between a classical, a rapid, a blitz and a bullet rating.

With the exception of areas with a lot of chess activity, there aren't a whole lot of FIDE rated events. So, USCF is usually the one someone actually is more likely to have.

Even I can beat @stassneyking even though I am 1394 USCF.

Haha yes futuregm you have gotten a handful of games, I consider you a talented developing player by all means! But let's not forget we are 17/3/5 on here!

I know otb tournament ratings are what people mean, but there are a lot of strong players who don't actively play tournaments with deflated or nonexistent ratings. So what I'm really saying is rating doesn't always reflect skill level. I will repeat I think most people fluctuate between 200 and 400 points at least until they get to master level.. Just a theory!

 Well I mainly mean over the board. But online also helps