Guides
Practical, no-fluff guides to rating systems and competition formats — how ELO works under the hood, how to pick a K-factor, the recommended way to set up a league for specific games like ping pong, chess, pool, darts, foosball, and basketball, and how to run a fair tournament from seeding to the final. Whether you’re settling an office “who’s the best” argument or running a proper league, start here.
Understanding ELO & rating systems
How the rating math works and how to tune it for your group.
The ELO Rating System Explained: History, Math & Examples
Where ELO came from, the simple formula behind it, and worked examples showing exactly how a rating changes after a win, a loss, and an upset.
8 min read
ELO, K-Factor & Other Terms Explained
A plain-English glossary of every term you’ll see in TrackMyElo — ELO rating, K-factor, seeding, single vs double elimination, score margin, volume mode, and more.
5 min read
How to Choose the Right K-Factor for Your League
The K-factor decides how fast ratings move. Here’s how to pick one for casual groups, serious leagues, and new players — with concrete recommendations.
6 min read
ELO vs Glicko vs TrueSkill: Which Rating System Should You Use?
A clear comparison of the three most popular skill-rating systems — what each one adds, where it shines, and which to pick for your league.
7 min read
How Team ELO Works (2v2, Doubles & Team Matches)
How to rate players fairly in team games — rating fixed teams vs. rating individuals from team results, the math behind team expected scores, and why rotating partners makes ratings sharper.
6 min read
7 Common ELO Rating Problems (and How to Fix Them)
Troubleshooting guide for ELO ladders: standings that feel wrong, beginner-farming, flukes wrecking ratings, inactive players parked at #1, rating islands, and more — with a concrete fix for each.
7 min read
Set up a league for your sport
Recommended settings for specific games — and the reasoning behind each choice.
Rank players fairly by game
How to build a ranking that everyone accepts as fair, sport by sport.
Tournaments & leagues
Running brackets, seeding fairly, and keeping a ladder alive.
How to Set Up a League or Tournament
Step-by-step instructions for creating your first ELO league, adding players, recording matches, and running single or double elimination tournaments in TrackMyElo.
6 min read
Single vs Double Elimination: How to Choose
The real differences between single and double elimination brackets — match counts, fairness, time, and which format fits your tournament.
6 min read
How to Seed a Tournament Bracket Fairly
What seeding is, why it matters, how to handle byes when your player count isn’t a power of two, and when to skip seeding entirely.
6 min read
How to Run an Office Sports Ladder
A complete playbook for starting and running an office ELO ladder — picking a game, getting buy-in, keeping it active, and ending each season.
7 min read