Are the specific actual rules of the Rank Meter known?

Question

Regarding the Rank Meter in Ranked in Splatoon 2,

Here's the problem:

1. Say you have one or two cracks. In fact, sometimes when you lose a match, it does not give another crack.

2. Indeed sometimes when you are are on three cracks and you lose, it does not demote/pushback...you seem to get one more free chance.

(Note, I mean in normal games with no disconnects. Of course, when there's a disconnect you are not penalized.)

3. Moreover, when you win the amount of movement to the right seems to vary. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

4. It does not seem to relate to your personal performance in the game (whether number of kills, coverage, time in control etc).

Does anyone know what the actual exact rules are for

(1) When or if you get a crack

(2) How much it moves when you win

It genuinely seems somewhat random.

I checked the printed handbook and it has no information.

Answer 1

From the Splatoon Wiki

The rank meter is represented internally as a number between 0 and 100. The numbers that track filling of the rank meter and those that track cracks are two separate systems; winning matches adds points to the number system that fills the rank meter, while losing adds points to a different number system that contributes to cracks on the meter.

A full rank meter is represented by the "fill" number reaching 100, which causes the player to rank up. The rank meter breaks when the "crack" number reaches 100. Every 25 points is equivalent to one crack on the meter.

How the player gains points that affect these numbers depends on the probability of winning a match in Ranked, as determined by the game. The number of "fill" points gained for winning a match that the game determined was a likely victory for the player's team will be lower than that gained for one with a lower probability. Conversely, losing a match that the game determines the player had a high chance to win will add a high number of points to the "crack" number compared to one where the player was less likely to win.

(emphasis mine)

So what the wiki seems to be saying is that the cracks merely serve as a visual indicator for the second number, much like the progress bar. I was unable to find values, but it probably has something to do with the difference between the ranks of each team and not just random chance.

To answer your questions:

(1) You get a crack for every 25 points in the "crack" number

(2) It moves an amount determined by how likely you were to win the game.