Ratings and ranks

Every rated game updates your rating. It is shown as a familiar kyu/dan rank followed by a decimal, for example 5d (5.35) or 6k (-6.25). Kyu values are negative, dan values are positive, and one whole unit is one rank. Your rating from the old server was carried over, so you start where you left off.

When you create an account you can give your rank (a number, plus kyu or dan), and you start in the middle of that rank. If you leave it blank you start unrated, and your first rated game seeds you at about 6 kyu. Until you finish your first rated game you can still set or change your rank from your profile page. After that your games move it; if it's far from your real strength, ask an admin to reset it.

A rating stays provisional until you have played 20 rated games. Until then it shows a question mark after the rank, for example 6k? (-6.25), meaning it has not been proven yet. This applies to every account, old or new.

Your profile page shows your current rating and a graph of it over time. Even games (no handicap, standard komi) and handicap games are both rated.