Like I said in another topic:
New players could then have an evaluation based on the difficulty of the AI they beat, so that they could have assigned a supposed ELO.
This ELO would be hidden and the system could use it to make easier for the player to reach it with the proper ELO within the first games. For example by finding matches with player with the supposed ELO, or by increasing the point loss in the first matches until the player reaches the supposed ELO.
So e.g. a newbie player can beat the Standard and Average AI, but not the Hard
The system rates him at 800 elo
He starts anyway with 1000 elo points, but the matching system for the firts games will work as he’s a 800 elo player, so he will match with opponent that level.
Winning will increase both real and supposed elo. Losing will decrease both real and supposed elo.
Real elo will increase less and decrease more as the difference with the opponent would be higher.
The system could use the supposed elo to find the opponent for the first 20 matches, then switch to the real elo.
Beating the Hard, Hardest or Extreme AI meanwhile would update the supposed elo to an higher level.