Honor may be seen as obsolete in modern Western societies. It is argued that dignity replaces it as societies become less hierarchical and more focused on individuals (Berger, 1970). Despite that, this concept can still be useful to understand chess’ sports system. This system is notable for its lack of gender and age divisions, reinforcing the contradictory native view that chess is both meritocratic and inclusive. The rating, as part of this organization, is not simply a rate calculated from wins and losses in official chess matches, it also holds significant value among players, akin to personal esteem within this context. Understanding honor as a bridge between societal ideals and individual behavior, with individuals striving to embody these ideals (Pitt-Rivers, 1965), it is possible to question how the chess rating hierarchy influences players' sense of honor. The objective of this paper was to explore how rating, honor, and social markers interact within this sport. An ethnography conducted over two years at a Brazilian chess club revealed that the belief in the cognitive demands of the game leads to complex interactions between rating and social markers of gender and age. This interplay is connected to the emotional expressions of players following defeats. When internalized as a reflection of one’s worth (how I see myself and how I wish to be seen), the rating turns a defeat into not just a setback in the game, but a blow to one's honor. This impact is particularly profound for veteran men when facing younger or female players who are lower rated. Additionally, losses among closely ranked players, regardless of age or gender differences, invoke a sense of a fair fight. This leads to the conclusion that rating predominantly influence feelings of honor or dishonor in the competitive arena of Brazilian chess.