SL-Mark: I see your point. Its matter of luck:) From this reason there are these new ratings provisional. I am not familiar with USCF ratings, because Czech chess federation is using ELO system (same as FIDE). But also in this system it is similiar - with difference your rating is provisional until you finished 9 (or more -it depends on how many games you play during period in which is rating calculated) games and from these games is you rating counted. It is better to defeat higher rated players in the very begining your career. But it is not good for internet ratings where change must be visible after finishing every game, not after some period.

Rating 1300 is used when two players without any finished game meet each other. If you finish first game, you still see non rated, but system is using your new rating.