Three tiers, self-selected.
When you register, you pick the level that fits you. It shows next to your username on match listings, on the leaderboard, and in the members directory — so anyone proposing or joining a match can see who else is at the table.
Knows the rules, limited experience, comfortable with slower play.
You've learned the card and you can sit a full game without a cheat sheet. Maybe you've played a few times at a friend's table. Beginner is where the league should start for most people new to NMJL play; the only thing it asks is that you understand the basic rhythm of a hand.
Solid grasp, regular play, working toward multi-section play.
You play often — once a week or more — and you can read the table at a reasonable pace. You're comfortable across most sections of the card and you've started thinking strategically about which hands to chase and when to switch. This is where most of the Scramble lives.
Experienced, plays all sections, fast pace, plays to win.
Years of play, all sections of the card, no slow-downs for rules questions. You're at home in a Focused match and you can read what the rest of the table is building several discards out. Advanced isn't an honorific — it's a signal to other players that you're ready for the tournament-paced version.
You can move at any time.
Pick the tier that feels honest now and adjust mid-season from your profile page. Most players stay where they start. A few find that after a few matches they'd rather move up or down a step — that's fine. The badge is a signal, not a contract.
The tiers are not gates. Any registered player can join any match regardless of badge. A Beginner can sit at a table of three Advanced players if everyone's up for it; a mixed table is often the most fun match of a season.