3 "Frequently Asked Questions About the United States Chess Federation"
5 NOTE: FICS is not affiliated with USCF in any way. This
6 help file is intended solely as a public service to FICS users and to
7 promote chess. The text was written by FICS users and sanctioned by USCF.
8 Neither USCF or FICS take any responsibility for the accuracy of the
9 information contained in this file.
13 USCF stands for the United States Chess Federation. USCF is the
14 national chess organization for the United States. Its purpose is to
15 promote chess (see the USCF Mission Statement in another FICS help file,
16 "uscf_mis"). USCF sponsors various kinds of chess tournaments, promotes
17 chess in public schools and prisons, represents US interests in
18 international chess organizations, and offers discounts on chess books and
19 equipment. USCF is composed of over 82,000 individual members and 2100
20 local and state organizations (known as "affiliates").
22 --> Are there other national chess organizations?
24 Yes. USCF is the main organization for over-the-board (OTB) play.
25 They also sponsor correspondence ("postal") chess and Quick Chess (games
26 with faster time controls) but other organizations have national
27 importance in these two areas as well. Information about these other
28 organizations may be placed on FICS at a later date.
30 --> What are the benefits for joining USCF?
32 Well, every member has a different reason for joining. The benefits
33 of membership include:
35 * Chance to play in numerous chess tournaments and have national
36 ratings in OTB and postal chess
37 * Cash prizes in tournaments
38 * A monthly magazine, "Chess Life" ("SchoolMates" for younger
40 * Discounts for chess equipment and books.
42 --> Tell me about the tournaments.
44 There are two main groups: Over-the-board (OTB) and Postal. In OTB
45 tournaments you play against other opponents face-to-face. In Postal
46 tournaments you play by mail and exchange moves, usually on postcards.
47 Membership is necessary to play in a USCF tournament (there are some
48 exceptions, but these are rare) and entry fees are charged. A complete
49 listing of upcoming OTB tournaments all across the United States should be
50 available on FICS sometime in July.
52 --> What are OTB tournaments like?
54 Most tournaments take one or two days over the weekend for maybe half
55 a dozen games, though major national tournaments may last a week or two
56 and involve many games. A tournament may have anywhere from a dozen to
57 600 or even a thousand players.
58 Tournaments generally have different playing "sections" or groups of
59 players based on their national ratings. You only play opponents within
60 your own section. For example, a large tournament might have these five
61 sections: Open, U2000, U1600, U1200, and Scholastic. Any USCF member can
62 play in the Open section, only those with a USCF rating under 2000 can
63 play in U2000, only those below 1600 can play in the U1600 section, only
64 those below 1200 can play in U1200 and only high school or younger
65 students can play in the Scholastic. (A high school student with a USCF
66 rating of 1300, for example, could choose to play in the Open, U2000,
67 U1600 or Scholastic sections, but not in U1200.) The different sections
68 allow players of similar strength to compete for prizes.
69 Tournament games can last anywhere from one or two hours up to four or
70 five hours, depending on the time control of the tournament. There are
71 some Quick Chess tournaments with time controls of only 10 or 30 minutes
72 per player per game. Tournament time controls are very different than
73 those used on FICS, so learn the details before playing in a tournament.
74 Tournaments generally offer cash prizes (!!), with the exception being
75 the Scholastic tournaments which prefer to give out trophies instead.
76 Most tournaments offer prizes within each section (1st, 2nd and 3rd for
77 example) as well as other prizes by ratings categories (for example, the
78 U2000 section may have a prize for the best scoring U1800 player).
79 Chess tournaments, organized by the local USCF affiliates (especially
80 state organizations and clubs) are held weekly all across the United
81 States. Each tournament varies considerably in style, size, prize fund
82 and difficulty. Information about USCF sanctioned tournaments is printed
83 monthly in "Chess Life." We also hope to make such information available
84 on FICS. We suggest you visit a tournament in your local area and catch
87 --> What if I want to play in an OTB tournament but never have before?
89 If you're unsure how tournaments run, it may be helpful to visit one
90 or two before playing. Almost all tournaments allow and encourage
92 You need to become aware of tournament rules and etiquette. If you
93 are in a tournament you will need to know when the rounds start, where the
94 pairings (lists of who plays who) are posted, how to find your opponent,
95 where to mark the result of your game, what the time controls are, how to
96 use a chess clock, how to take notation (it is usually required to record
97 the moves of your games), etc.
98 Most tournaments require that you bring your own equipment, but don't
99 worry if you don't have a regulation set and clock. Most of your
100 opponents will, and there should be unused sets you can borrow any given
101 round. If you decide to play in more tournaments, you really should
102 acquire regulation equipment.
103 All of this can seem very intimidating to a new player, but if you
104 show up early, you should have plenty of time to ask the tournament
105 director, or other players, to explain the whole process. It may be
106 helpful to obtain a copy of the US Chess Federation's Official Rules of
107 Chess (4th ed) (available from USCF).
108 For your first tournament, either mail your entry fee in advance or
109 pay it in person at the tournament site. In either case, get there early
110 to familiarize yourself with the rooms, the tournament organizers, and
111 have a chance to ask questions.
112 Lastly, remember to just have fun and play some good chess. Most
113 people do not score very well in their first tournament, but some do win
114 prizes (larger tournaments generally offer a few prizes for unrated
117 --> What's postal chess all about?
119 Basically, you play by mail. Your opponent could be from anywhere in
120 the United States, or even overseas. Generally, you play against
121 opponents in a small section (4-7 players) with roughly your same level of
122 ability, though there are also Open tournaments. Each player is required
123 to make a certain number of moves in a 30-day period (not including the
124 time it takes for the mail to get through). In examining your next move,
125 you may consult with books and articles and take notes, but you may not
126 have computers or humans analyze your games while they are in progress.
127 Each game may take as long as a year, sometimes longer, but you play
128 several games simultaneously. You can even have rated matches against
129 opponents of your own choosing. Some tournaments offer cash prizes;
130 others offer certificates to the section winners. Information about
131 postal chess is given each month in "Chess Life."
132 Many people who are too busy to play OTB tournaments regularly, or
133 even at all, find that postal chess matches their schedules perfectly.
134 They can analyze moves during lunch, in the evenings, stalled on the
135 highway during rush hour, or whenever they have a few minutes free. The
136 time controls mean a move need not be sent off the day after it is
137 received, and the players can therefore analyze positions at their
140 --> Tell me more about "Chess Life"?
142 "Chess Life" is USCF's official magazine. It has numerous articles
143 for players of all abilities, quizzes, ways to test your abilities,
144 annotated games from recent tournaments across the world, stories on chess
145 personalities and chess-related news. "Chess Life" prints advance
146 information on many upcoming chess tournaments in the US as well as postal
147 chess. It also has catalog supplements several times each year with
148 information on discounts on chess-related products, including books,
149 pieces, boards, computers and computer software. Companies selling chess
150 productes often advertise in "Chess Life" as well.
152 --> Tell me more about the affiliates?
154 An affiliate is simply a local chess club associated with USCF.
155 Almost every major city in the United States has an affiliate. Many
156 universities and other organizations sponsor one as well. Currently there
157 are just over 2000 affiliates scattered across the nation.
158 Each club is different, but most generally hold informal meetings a
159 few times per month, where the club members can get together and play
160 games, discuss openings, study grandmaster games, eat doughnuts, or
161 whatever. Clubs are a great way to become involved in chess, and you
162 normally do not need a USCF membership to join one.
163 Affiliates often sponsor USCF tournaments, some of which are open only
164 to the club's members. This depends on each individual affiliate, though.
165 You can write to USCF at the address below and request a list of
166 affiliates in your area.
168 --> Where do I get more information on USCF?
170 Well, "Dogma" on FICS would be more than willing to talk to you about
171 USCF and playing in a tournament. There are other USCFers on FICS, too,
172 and you can ask them for their opinions. You can also go directy to the
173 source and call USCF at ... 1-800-388-KING ... and ask them to send you
174 membership information, etc.
175 USCF provides free pamphlets on a variety of subjects, available on
176 request. These include, but are not limited to, pamphlets describing the
177 rules, how to take notation, what constitutes official equipment, etc.
178 Call or write USCF for more information.
180 --> How do I become a USCF member?
182 There are several ways. You can join at virtually any tournament,
183 call the above phone number and pay with a credit card, or send your
184 membership fee directly to USCF at:
186 New Windsor, NY 12553
187 It may be possible to obtain a slight discount by buying your USCF
188 membership through an affiliate, or as part of tournament registration
189 fees; however, this depends on each individual affiliate and tournament.
191 --> What is the membership fee?
193 The regular, one year membership fee is $40, of which $21 is the
194 subscription to "Chess Life". Youth memberships (age 19 and under) cost
195 $15 for one year. Senior memberships (65 and older) are $30 per year.
196 Scholastic memberships cost $10 per year (generally for elementary
197 students, but available for age 19 and under). A scholastic membership is not
198 necessary to play in scholastic tournaments; a youth membership would work
199 just as well. However, Scholastic membership receive "School Mates", a
200 bi-monthly magazine for the beginning player, rather than the monthly "Chess
202 All of the above membership types receive full membership benefits,
203 including "Chess Life". Again, the major difference between "Youth" members
204 and "Scholastic" members is that youth members receive "Chess Life" while
205 scholastic members receive "School Mates".
206 Discounts are available for junior, family, blind, and prison memberships.
207 Discounts are also given for longer memberships (for example a two-year
208 membership); life memberships are also available.
210 --> Is USCF membership worth it?
212 If you are an avid chess player who wants to play in tournaments and
213 have national ratings for OTB and/or postal chess, wants to keep up on the
214 chess scene, or just wants to help promote chess in the United States, the
215 answer is ... YES!!! Whether you have time for tournament chess, postal
216 or both, a membership in USCF helps make you a stronger chess player while
217 also bringing you into contact with other chess players world-wide. You
218 can play chess all your life, with family, friends, and fellow tournament
219 players. Chess is a sport that can give you lifelong satisfaction, and
220 USCF gives you a great opportunity to learn, play, and make new friends