EP 476-Vlad Ghita: Is the Rating System Still Broken? A Data-Driven Investigation
About this episode
Vlad Ghita joins Ben Johnson to discuss the effectiveness of FIDE's rating system changes and their implications for chess players.
It has been over two years since FIDE implemented major changes to its rating system aimed at combating rating deflation. But are those changes actually working? My guest, Vlad Ghita, joins me to dig into the data. Vlad is a Romanian arbiter, instructor, and chess enthusiast with a master’s degree in physics. In his new e-book, The Rating Revolution, he takes a rigorous, data-driven look at how the global rating system is functioning—and where it may still be falling short. We discuss: What Vlad calls the “participation paradox” Which countries may be the most underrated How age impacts rating expectations Why some players feel stuck despite improving Is the US rating system functioning more effectively than FIDE? As discussed in the episode, many of these issues stem from structural imbalances in the rating pool—something Vlad illustrates through extensive analysis of nearly one million games . In our conversation (and in his book), Vlad not only identifies problems but also proposes thoughtful solutions. As a dedicated coach and adult improver himself, he also shares practical advice for chess improvement. ; 0:00- Intro Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Check out their FIDE…
People in this episode
Host: Ben Johnson
Guest: Vlad Ghita
Topics covered
- rating system
- chess improvement
- data analysis
- FIDE
- participation paradox
- structural imbalances
Keywords
- rating system
- FIDE
- chess
- data-driven
- Vlad Ghita
- improvement
- participation paradox
- analysis
Sponsors
Chessable
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FIDE, NoseKno
Books & works: The Rating Revolution
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- EP 477- Jennifer Shahade on Cheating, AI, and Thinking Like a Chess Player
- Bonus Pod: Sindarov’s Historic Start + Inside the FIDE Candidates with Mike Klein
- Book Recap #38- Silman’s Chess Odyssey + Stories from a Former Student with Gaurav Datta
- EP 476- GM Jan Gustafsson previews the 2026 FIDE Candidates
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