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diff --git a/data/help/uscf_faq b/data/help/uscf_faq new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d84bdc --- /dev/null +++ b/data/help/uscf_faq @@ -0,0 +1,223 @@ + +USCF FAQ + +"Frequently Asked Questions About the United States Chess Federation" + +NOTE: FICS is not affiliated with USCF in any way. This help file is +intended solely as a public service to FICS users and to promote chess. The +text was written by FICS users and sanctioned by USCF. Neither USCF or FICS +take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in this +file. + +____________________________________________________________________________ + +--> What is USCF? + + USCF stands for the United States Chess Federation. USCF is the national +chess organization for the United States. Its purpose is to promote chess +(see the USCF Mission Statement in another FICS help file, "uscf_mis"). USCF +sponsors various kinds of chess tournaments, promotes chess in public schools +and prisons, represents US interests in international chess organizations, and +offers discounts on chess books and equipment. USCF is composed of over +82,000 individual members and 2100 local and state organizations (known as +"affiliates"). + +--> Are there other national chess organizations? + + Yes. USCF is the main organization for over-the-board (OTB) play. They +also sponsor correspondence ("postal") chess and Quick Chess (games with +faster time controls) but other organizations have national importance in +these two areas as well. Information about these other organizations may be +placed on FICS at a later date. + +--> What are the benefits for joining USCF? + + Well, every member has a different reason for joining. The benefits of +membership include: + + * Chance to play in numerous chess tournaments and have national + ratings in OTB and postal chess + * Cash prizes in tournaments + * A monthly magazine, "Chess Life" ("SchoolMates" for younger + members). + * Discounts for chess equipment and books. + +--> Tell me about the tournaments. + + There are two main groups: Over-the-board (OTB) and Postal. In OTB +tournaments you play against other opponents face-to-face. In Postal +tournaments you play by mail and exchange moves, usually on postcards. +Membership is necessary to play in a USCF tournament (there are some +exceptions, but these are rare) and entry fees are charged. A complete +listing of upcoming OTB tournaments all across the United States should be +available on FICS sometime in July. + +--> What are OTB tournaments like? + + Most tournaments take one or two days over the weekend for maybe half a +dozen games, though major national tournaments may last a week or two and +involve many games. A tournament may have anywhere from a dozen to 600 or +even a thousand players. + Tournaments generally have different playing "sections" or groups of +players based on their national ratings. You only play opponents within your +own section. For example, a large tournament might have these five sections: +Open, U2000, U1600, U1200, and Scholastic. Any USCF member can play in the +Open section, only those with a USCF rating under 2000 can play in U2000, only +those below 1600 can play in the U1600 section, only those below 1200 can play +in U1200 and only high school or younger students can play in the Scholastic. +(A high school student with a USCF rating of 1300, for example, could choose +to play in the Open, U2000, U1600 or Scholastic sections, but not in U1200.) +The different sections allow players of similar strength to compete for +prizes. + Tournament games can last anywhere from one or two hours up to four or +five hours, depending on the time control of the tournament. There are some +Quick Chess tournaments with time controls of only 10 or 30 minutes per player +per game. Tournament time controls are very different than those used on +FICS, so learn the details before playing in a tournament. + Tournaments generally offer cash prizes (!!), with the exception being the +Scholastic tournaments which prefer to give out trophies instead. Most +tournaments offer prizes within each section (1st, 2nd and 3rd for example) as +well as other prizes by ratings categories (for example, the U2000 section may +have a prize for the best scoring U1800 player). + Chess tournaments, organized by the local USCF affiliates (especially +state organizations and clubs) are held weekly all across the United States. +Each tournament varies considerably in style, size, prize fund and difficulty. +Information about USCF sanctioned tournaments is printed monthly in "Chess +Life." We also hope to make such information available on FICS. We suggest +you visit a tournament in your local area and catch the excitement! + +--> What if I want to play in an OTB tournament but never have before? + + If you're unsure how tournaments run, it may be helpful to visit one or +two before playing. Almost all tournaments allow and encourage spectators. + You need to become aware of tournament rules and etiquette. If you are in +a tournament you will need to know when the rounds start, where the pairings +(lists of who plays who) are posted, how to find your opponent, where to mark +the result of your game, what the time controls are, how to use a chess clock, +how to take notation (it is usually required to record the moves of your +games), etc. + Most tournaments require that you bring your own equipment, but don't +worry if you don't have a regulation set and clock. Most of your opponents +will, and there should be unused sets you can borrow any given round. If you +decide to play in more tournaments, you really should acquire regulation +equipment. + All of this can seem very intimidating to a new player, but if you show up +early, you should have plenty of time to ask the tournament director, or other +players, to explain the whole process. It may be helpful to obtain a copy of +the US Chess Federation's "Official Rules of Chess" (4th ed) (available from +USCF). + For your first tournament, either mail your entry fee in advance or pay it +in person at the tournament site. In either case, get there early in order to +familiarize yourself with the rooms, the tournament organizers, and have a +chance to ask questions. + Lastly, remember to just have fun and play some good chess. Most people +do not score very well in their first tournament, but some do win prizes +(larger tournaments generally offer a few prizes for unrated players). + +--> What's postal chess all about? + + Basically, you play by mail. Your opponent could be from anywhere in the +United States, or even overseas. Generally, you play against opponents in a +small section (4-7 players) with roughly your same level of ability, though +there are also Open tournaments. Each player is required to make a certain +number of moves in a 30-day period (not including the time it takes for the +mail to get through). In examining your next move, you may consult with books +and articles and take notes, but you may not have computers or humans analyze +your games while they are in progress. + Each game may take as long as a year, sometimes longer, but you play +several games simultaneously. You can even have rated matches against +opponents of your own choosing. Some tournaments offer cash prizes; others +offer certificates to the section winners. Information about postal chess is +given each month in "Chess Life." + Many people who are too busy to play OTB tournaments regularly, or even at +all, find that postal chess matches their schedules perfectly. They can +analyze moves during lunch, in the evenings, stalled on the highway during +rush hour, or whenever they have a few minutes free. The time controls mean a +move need not be sent off the day after it is received, and the players can +therefore analyze positions at their leisure. + +--> Tell me more about "Chess Life". + + "Chess Life" is USCF's official magazine. It has numerous articles for +players of all abilities, quizzes, ways to test your abilities, annotated +games from recent tournaments across the world, stories on chess personalities +and chess-related news. "Chess Life" prints advance information on many +upcoming chess tournaments in the US as well as postal chess. It also has +catalog supplements several times each year with information on discounts on +chess-related products, including books, pieces, boards, computers and +computer software. Companies selling chess products often advertise in "Chess +Life" as well. + +--> Tell me more about the affiliates. + + An affiliate is simply a local chess club associated with USCF. Almost +every major city in the United States has an affiliate. Many universities and +other organizations sponsor one as well. Currently there are just over 2000 +affiliates scattered across the nation. + Each club is different, but most generally hold informal meetings a few +times per month, where the club members can get together and play games, +discuss openings, study grandmaster games, eat doughnuts, or whatever. Clubs +are a great way to become involved in chess, and you normally do not need a +USCF membership to join one. + Affiliates often sponsor USCF tournaments, some of which are open only to +the club's members. This depends on each individual affiliate, though. + You can write to USCF at the address below and request a list of +affiliates in your area. + +--> Where do I get more information on USCF? + + Well, "Dogma" on FICS would be more than willing to talk to you about USCF +and playing in a tournament. There are other USCFers on FICS, too, and you +can ask them for their opinions. You can also go directy to the source and +call USCF at ... 1-800-388-KING ... and ask them to send you membership +information, etc. + USCF provides free pamphlets on a variety of subjects, available on +request. These include, but are not limited to, pamphlets describing the +rules, how to take notation, what constitutes official equipment, etc. Call +or write USCF for more information. + +--> How do I become a USCF member? + + There are several ways. You can join at virtually any tournament, call +the above phone number and pay with a credit card, or send your membership fee +directly to USCF at: + 186 Route 9W + New Windsor, NY 12553 + It may be possible to obtain a slight discount by buying your USCF +membership through an affiliate, or as part of tournament registration fees; +however, this depends on each individual affiliate and tournament. + +--> What is the membership fee? + + The regular, one year membership fee is $40, of which $21 is the +subscription to "Chess Life". Youth memberships (age 19 and under) cost $15 +for one year. Senior memberships (65 and older) are $30 per year. + Scholastic memberships cost $10 per year (generally for elementary +students, but available for age 19 and under). A scholastic membership is not +necessary to play in scholastic tournaments; a youth membership would work +just as well. However, Scholastic membership receive "School Mates", a bi- +monthly magazine for the beginning player, rather than the monthly "Chess +Life". + All of the above membership types receive full membership benefits, +including "Chess Life". Again, the major difference between "Youth" members +and "Scholastic" members is that youth members receive "Chess Life" while +scholastic members receive "School Mates". + Discounts are available for junior, family, blind, and prison memberships. +Discounts are also given for longer memberships (for example a two-year +membership); life memberships are also available. + +--> Is USCF membership worth it? + + If you are an avid chess player who wants to play in tournaments and have +national ratings for OTB and/or postal chess, wants to keep up on the chess +scene, or just wants to help promote chess in the United States, the answer is +... YES!!! Whether you have time for tournament chess, postal or both, a +membership in USCF helps make you a stronger chess player while also bringing +you into contact with other chess players world-wide. You can play chess all +your life, with family, friends, and fellow tournament players. Chess is a +sport that can give you lifelong satisfaction, and USCF gives you a great +opportunity to learn, play, and make new friends along the way. :) + + +[Last modified October 22, 1995 by Dogma and Friar] + |