Ranking System

Understand MMR, ranks, and the competitive leaderboard in BeeHex

Overview

BeeHex uses an MMR (Match Making Rating) system to track player skill and create fair competitive matches. Your MMR determines your rank tier and position on the global leaderboard.

MMR System

What is MMR?

MMR (Match Making Rating) is a numerical skill rating that:

• Starts at 500 for all new players
• Increases when you win ranked games
• Decreases when you lose ranked games
• Determines matchmaking and rank tier

MMR is only affected by ranked games. Casual (Normal) and offline games do not change your rating.

How MMR Changes

After each ranked game, your MMR is adjusted based on:

• Your current MMR vs. opponent’s MMR
• Game outcome (win/loss)
• Rating difference between players

The system calculates separate MMR changes for each player:

// Example from game history
game.EloChangeFirstPlayer  // +24 MMR (winner)
game.EloChangeSecondPlayer // -18 MMR (loser)

Beating higher-rated opponents gives more MMR, while losing to lower-rated players costs more points.

Rank Tiers

BeeHex features a 9-tier ranking system inspired by bee hierarchy:

Rank Structure

Faux-bourdon I

0-199 MMR

Beginner tier—learning the basics

Faux-bourdon II

200-399 MMR

Novice players developing strategy

Faux-bourdon III

400-599 MMR

Intermediate beginners

Ouvrière I

600-799 MMR

Worker tier—competent players

Ouvrière II

800-999 MMR

Skilled workers

Ouvrière III

1000-1199 MMR

Advanced workers

Reine I

1200-1399 MMR

Queen tier—expert players

Reine II

1400-1599 MMR

Elite queens

Reine III

1600+ MMR

Master tier—top players

Rank Calculation

The system maps your MMR to rank tiers using this logic:

function mmr_to_rank(mmr) {
  if (mmr < 200) return 0   // Faux-bourdon I
  if (mmr < 400) return 1   // Faux-bourdon II
  if (mmr < 600) return 2   // Faux-bourdon III
  if (mmr < 800) return 3   // Ouvrière I
  if (mmr < 1000) return 4  // Ouvrière II
  if (mmr < 1200) return 5  // Ouvrière III
  if (mmr < 1400) return 6  // Reine I
  if (mmr < 1600) return 7  // Reine II
  return 8                  // Reine III
}

Your rank badge updates automatically as your MMR changes. Check the leaderboard to see your current rank icon.

Leaderboard

The global leaderboard displays the top players across all BeeHex users.

Accessing the Leaderboard

Visit /rank or click “Classement” in the bottom navigation bar to view:

• Position: Your global rank number
• Username: Player display name
• MMR: Current match making rating
• Rank Badge: Visual tier indicator

Leaderboard Features

1. Browse Rankings

   The leaderboard displays 5 players per page, sorted by MMR (highest first).

2. Navigate Pages

   Use the chevron buttons to browse:

   • Left arrow: Previous 5 players
   • Right arrow: Next 5 players

   The bottom shows: "Showing 1 to 5 of [total] players"

3. View Rank Icons

   Each player’s row displays their rank badge icon, making it easy to identify skill tiers at a glance.

The leaderboard fetches live data from the server, showing up-to-date rankings. It refreshes when you navigate between pages.

Pagination System

The leaderboard uses a pagination system:

// Fetch 5 users starting from position 'first'
GET /get_all_users?first=0&limit=5

// Response includes:
{
  rows: [/* 5 user objects */],
  total: 1247  // Total registered players
}

Ranked vs. Casual Games

Ranked Games

Ranked games are competitive and affect your MMR:

• Must be played online (not offline)
• Cannot be played in private rooms
• Use matchmaking to find fair opponents
• Results are recorded on leaderboard

To play ranked:

1. Go to /game_mode
2. Select “Classé” as game type (when implemented)
3. Configure board size and time limit
4. Click “Jouer” to queue

Currently, the ranked option is available in the codebase but may need to be enabled in the UI. Check the game mode page for the “Classé” radio button option.

Casual Games

Casual games (“Normal” mode) allow you to:

• Play online without MMR changes
• Practice strategies risk-free
• Try different board sizes
• Play with friends in private rooms

Use casual games to learn new strategies before taking them into ranked play!

Game History Tracking

Your game history page (/game_mode sidebar) displays recent match results:

Recent Games Display

// Each game shows:
{
  gameId: "abc123",
  opponentUsername: "Player2",
  mmrChange: +24,           // Your MMR change
  mmrAfterGame: 524,        // Your MMR after this game
  gameDate: "2026-03-07",
  moves: "0 6 12 18..."     // Full move sequence
}

Victory/Defeat Indicators

The history shows:

• Green “Victoire”: Games you won
• Red “Défaite”: Games you lost
• MMR change: Displayed with +/- prefix
• Opponent name: Who you played against

Current MMR

Your current MMR is displayed at the top of the game history sidebar

Last 5 Games

See your 5 most recent matches with outcomes and MMR changes

Matchmaking

How Matchmaking Works

When you search for a ranked game:

1. Game search packet sent with your preferences:

   {
     type: GAME_SEARCH,
     game_parameters: {
       ranked: true,
       board_size: 7,
       time_limit: 0
     }
   }
   

2. Server searches for opponents within your MMR range

3. Game found callback triggered when suitable opponent is found

4. Both players redirected to game URL

MMR-Based Pairing

The matchmaking system considers:

• Your MMR and opponent’s MMR
• ELO range for fair matches
• Queue time (range expands if waiting long)
• Game parameters (board size, time limit)

The game search callback includes elo_range: [number, number] showing the current MMR range being searched.

Rank Progression Tips

1. Start with Smaller Boards

   5×5 and 7×7 boards are great for learning patterns and building MMR steadily.

2. Review Your Games

   Use the game review mode to analyze your mistakes and discover better moves.

3. Study Opponent Strategies

   Watch how higher-ranked players approach the game in your match history.

4. Play Consistently

   Regular play helps you internalize patterns and improve decision-making.

Rank Icons

Each rank tier has a unique visual badge displayed on:

• Leaderboard (next to your name)
• Profile page (your account overview)
• Game history (past opponent ranks)

The icons use SVG graphics located in /assets/ranked_icons/ and are mapped to MMR ranges automatically.

Visit the /rank page to see all 9 rank badges with their names and MMR requirements in the visual gallery.

Rank Statistics

The ranking page displays:

• Your current position in global rankings
• Total player count across all BeeHex users
• MMR distribution visible through browsing the leaderboard
• All rank tiers with visual icons and MMR thresholds

Next Steps

Start Ranked Play

Begin your climb to Reine III

Private Rooms

Practice with friends in custom games