Introduction to USCF Rated Tournaments

Many USCF members find that participation in USCF-rated chess tournaments is one of their favorite benefits. Sanctioned tournaments are sponsored by USCF or its many affiliated organizations. Players compete against other Federation members under the direction of certified tournament directors. There are tournaments everywhere. There's probably one within your own area.

Round-Round Tournaments

In a round robin, you play one game with every other player in tournament. One common type of round robin is a quad, in which four players of approximately equal ability are grouped into a section. These three-round tournaments are usually played in a single day.

Swiss-System Tournaments

The Swiss is the most common tournament format in the United States. This type of tournament can accommodate a large number of players. No one is eliminated. Normally, as you continue to win games, you face progressively stronger opposition, leaving those not so successful to play against each other. Toward the end of the event, you will probably find yourself matched against players around your own level. Many tournaments have special prizes for new players and novices.

In Swiss-system events, players are paired with each other according to the following general principles:

1. A player is not paired with any other more than once.
2. Players with the same score are paired whenever possible.
3. Colors are assigned by the director as fairly as possible. Alternating the colors is the ideal.

For the first round, the players are ranked according to their last-published USCF rating. The top player in the upper half of the field is then paired against the top player in the lower half of the field, and so on. The top-ranked player's color in the first round is normally allocated by lot, and then colors alternate down the halves.

In the second round, the director uses the same principles to pair each of the three score groups (those who won, those who drew, and those who lost). These pairing procedures will continue through the rest of the tournament. In some large tournaments, various "accelerated pairings" are used in early rounds.

The wallchart is important in a Swiss tournament. This listing of players and their results allows everyone to see exactly what is happening in the event. After a wallchart is posted, players normally help the directors by proofreading the entries that interest them.

The sample wallchart above shows us that John F. Anderson is the top-rated player in the event (because he is ranked No. 1). Anderson's USCF identification number is 34032543; his last published rating was 1852. In round One, he had White against player 35 and won (for a total of one point). In round Two, he had Black against player 21 and won (for a cumulative total of two). In Round Three, he had Black against player 3 and lost (still a cumulative total of 2). In round Four, he had White against player 12 and drew (for a cumulative total of 2.5).

Chess Clocks

Another standard part of a sanctioned tournament is the chess clock. Usually, players must bring their own. These special timers are really two separate clock movements and dials in a single case. When a player makes a move, he presses a button that stops his side of the clock and starts his opponent's side.

In tournament play, any player who has not completed the prescribed number of moves in the allotted time loses, unless his opponent has insufficient mating material. Some typical time controls are 40 (or 50) moves in two hours, or 40 (or 45) moves in an hour and a half.

Sudden-death time controls have become popular. Sudden-death games must be completed, within the prescribed time, no matter how many moves it takes. If a player runs out of time, his opponent wins only if the opponent has sufficient remaining material to make checkmate possible.

Recording Games

Time controls make it necessary for the players to keep a record of the game in order to know how many moves have been made. NOTE: Score keeping is not required for events with time controls of Game/10 to Game/29. This record will also be a useful study tool. There are two notational systems that are commonly used in the United States -- descriptive and algebraic. Our "In Writing" flier describes these and other systems. Just write to the U.S. Chess Federation and request a free copy.

Chess Sets and Boards

A player should bring a chess set and board when participating in a tournament (the organizer does not supply chess equipment). Pieces should be made of plastic, wood, or possibly a material similar in appearance. The king's height should be 3.375 - 4.50 inches and the diameter of the king's base should be 40 - 50 percent of the height. The other pieces should be proportionate in height and form. The conventional Staunton pattern is the standard. The pieces should be the colors of naturally light and dark wood (example, maple or boxwood and walnut or ebony) or approximations of these colors, such as simply black and white.

Chess boards must be opaque and fabricated from a smooth material that allows the easy movement of the pieces. They can be made out of wood, paper, cardboard, leather, cloth, and marble. Chess board colors should offer high contrast between light and dark sections yet remain pleasing to the eye. Good color combinations include green or brown with ivory or buff, and walnut or teak with maple or birch. The colors and finish should allow extended examination without eyestrain. Squares that do not exactly match the colors of the pieces are popular because they allow ready distinction between empty and occupied squares. For example, the green and buff vinyl roll-up board is the most commonly used at tournaments. Boards for standard sets should have squares of approximately 2.0 - 2.5 inches.

Conduct of Players

Tournament players are not allowed to look at personal or published chess material during a game or to receive either solicited or unsolicited advice from a third party concerning a game in progress. Players are also forbidden to distract or annoy their opponents. Conversation, skittles, and other noisy activities should not take place in the playing room. These rules and others are in the USCF OFFICIAL RULES OF CHESS (catalog number C929CP), available from U.S. Chess. Call or write for details.

If you are forced to withdraw from an event or miss around of play, make sure you tell the director in advance. Players who fail to do so are subject to a penalty.

Ratings

USCF ratings are of special interest to many players. These numbers reflect a player's standing relative to other USCF players. There are two separate rating systems for over-the-board (OTB) chess (regular and "quick" ratings) and one rating system for correspondence chess. Quick ratings are used for events with time controls of Game/10 to Game/29, and regular ratings are calculated for tournaments with time controls of Game/30 or slower.

A person's OTB and correspondence ratings are printed on his/her CHESS LIFE mailing label. For more information on either rating system, contact our New Windsor office.

Novice OTB ratings are often 800 or less, and Master ratings start at 2200. Most tournament players are rated between these levels.

Lifetime Titles

The Lifetime Title System was abolished by the USCF Delegates at the 1997 Annual Meeting. The Rating Committee is developing a replacement system for consideration by the Delegates.

Correspondence Chess Tournaments

Correspondence chess is some USCF members' major form of chess competition. Some members play in both correspondence and OTB tournaments.

In a typical correspondence section, you play six games - three with White and three with Black. Moves are exchanged on postcards, and play is governed by the official chess rules as specially modified for correspondence chess. Some games may take up to two years to complete, but many do not.

The USCF also offers e-mail correspondence chess tournaments to those who have Internet access. You must be a USCF member and have a computer with a connection to the internet. These games can be rated as correspondence games.

We have a variety of correspondence tournaments available, from the prestigious Golden Knights to the more sociable Class tournaments. If you are interested, please ask for more information.

If you have any questions, please address them to:

U.S. Chess Federation
3054 NYS Route 9W, New Windsor, NY 12553
(845) 562-8350
FAX: (845) 561-2437

www.uschess.org