Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is AbacusArena?
AbacusArena is a free, ad-free platform for practicing mental arithmetic using Soroban (abacus) principles. It offers Rated and Manual practice modes with adaptive difficulty. Our goal is to provide a clean, competitive, and distraction-free environment for learners to sharpen their calculation skills.
Is AbacusArena really free?
Yes! AbacusArena is 100% free forever. No ads, no paywalls, no premium tiers. All features are available to every user without restrictions. We are inspired by open and accessible learning principles.
Who created AbacusArena?
AbacusArena was created by:
-
Aswin Krishnamoorthy
– Founder & Lead Developer. Responsible for the core architecture, codebase, and overall platform direction.
-
Sreejeeth Vigneswaran
CO-DEV
– Co-Developer & Media Lead. Manages all YouTube content, promotional media, and community outreach.
Development started on April 23, 2026.
Note: We are only responsible for the official YouTube channel and content we produce. Other third-party sites are not affiliated with us.
Where can I follow the founders?
You can follow
Aswin Krishnamoorthy on
LinkedIn
.
For updates, tutorials, and community content, subscribe to our official YouTube channel managed by Sreejeeth Vigneswaran.
How can I contribute to the website?
AbacusArena is an open-source software project, so you can contribute through
Pull Requests. You can suggest improvements,
fix bugs, or add useful features by contributing to the codebase.
Please note that contributions are voluntary. We cannot promise monetary
compensation, a name credit on the website, or any other reward for your work.
What about your future updates?
This is one of the most important questions. We will continue improving
AbacusArena whenever time permits. We will mostly aim to release updates
weekly or monthly, depending on the work involved.
However, since I, the founder, is not a full-time developer, it is not
possible to say exactly how frequently we will release updates. We are also planning to bring more developers into the project so that we can improve the website further and introduce more useful features.
What is the benefit of practicing daily to reach a high rating?
Daily practice sharpens your working memory, visual bead processing, and mental focus. A higher rating reflects stronger speed and accuracy under increasingly difficult calculation settings.
Key benefits of high ratings:
-
Competition Readiness (3000+ Rating):
Reaching a 3000+ rating means you have developed elite calculation speed, allowing you to compete with confidence in official state, national, and international abacus competitions against top peers.
-
Brain & Focus Training:
Regular sessions condition your brain to process multi-digit sequences instantly without cognitive fatigue.
Gameplay
How does the Rated Mode work?
Rated Mode uses an adaptive Elo system. You start at 1500 rating. Correct answers increase your rating, incorrect answers decrease it. The difficulty (digits, rows, and speed) automatically adjusts based on your rating. The K-factor is intentionally high and adaptive. New and returning players can see larger meaningful changes, while the system gradually becomes more stable as they play consistently. Rating confidence also changes with activity and inactivity.
What is Manual Practice Mode?
Manual Practice Mode lets you customize your training with full control over:
- Digits: 1 to 5 digits per number
- Rows: 2 to 100 rows per session
- Speed: 0.25s to 5.0s display timing
This is perfect for targeted practice on specific skills.
How does rating confidence change?
Every new account starts with 350 points of rating confidence. As you actively play rated sessions, this value gradually falls toward a minimum of 45, making your rating more stable over time.
When you stop playing for a while, the confidence value rises again. When you return and actively participate, it decreases again. This makes rating changes more responsive after inactivity and more stable during consistent activity.
The confidence system works together with the high adaptive K-factor, so new and returning players can move through the ratings meaningfully while established active players get steadier results.
Ratings & Progression
What do the rating tiers mean?
- 1000 - 1399: Developing
- 1400 - 1599: Intermediate
- 1600 - 1899: Advanced
- 1900 - 2199: Expert
- 2200 - 2499: Elite
- 2500 - 2799: Master
- 2800 - 3199: Grandmaster
- 3200 - 3499: Elite Limit
- 3500+: Not attainable — the rating ceiling is 3499
How is the rating calculated?
Your rating updates using an adaptive Elo system. Players receive high, adaptive rating movement that responds to both experience and rating confidence. Consistent activity makes the rating more stable, while inactivity makes the system more responsive again. The difficulty matrix increases smoothly with rating.
AAM Title & Leaderboard
What is the leaderboard?
The global leaderboard shows the top 10 registered players on AbacusArena by rating.
You can open it anytime from the 🏆 Leaderboard button in the navbar.
Only registered accounts appear on the leaderboard. Players who use the site in
anonymous mode are not listed, to keep it fair and simple.
The leaderboard is refreshed with live data every time you open it, and cached for a few minutes
so it loads instantly on subsequent visits.
What is AAM? How can I get it?
AAM stands for AbacusArenaMaster. It is the
highest honorary title on AbacusArena — reserved only for players who demonstrate extraordinary
skill, consistency, and mastery of mental arithmetic.
Who awards it?
AAM is awarded exclusively by the Founder & Lead Developer, Aswin Krishnamoorthy.
There is no application form, no threshold you can grind for, and no automatic award. The founder
personally decides when a player deserves it.
How rare is it?
Think of AAM like the LM (Lichess Master) title on Lichess.org. It is
extremely exceptional — not something you can earn just by playing a lot. Only a
very small number of players will ever receive it.
How is it shown?
Once awarded, the AAM badge appears next to your username on the leaderboard, in the sidebar
identity card, and on your public profile. It is permanent — it cannot be removed or lost, even
if your rating drops.
Can someone else give it to me?
No. Only the founder can award AAM. No third party, moderator, or other player has that ability.
About the Founders
Who is Aswin Krishnamoorthy?
Aswin Krishnamoorthy is the Founder and Lead Developer of AbacusArena.
He is responsible for the website’s core architecture, codebase, design, and overall platform direction.
He started AbacusArena with the vision of creating a free, ad-free, and accessible speed calculation arena for students worldwide.
He is also a first-year B.Tech IT student at Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai.
Who is Sreejeeth Vigneswaran?
Sreejeeth Vigneswaran
CO-DEV
is the Co-Developer and Media Lead. He joined on July 29, 2026, and manages all YouTube content, promotional media, and community outreach to build a vibrant learning community around AbacusArena.
Account & Data Management
How can I delete everything and start fresh?
You can clear your browser data to reset your account. Alternatively, visit your
Profile Page
,
scroll down to the bottom, and click the
Reset All Ratings & Progress button.
Confirm by typing
DeleteEverything to reset all ratings, games history, and statistics from the beginning.
