Frequently Asked Questions

Scholastic Players:

Q: How many scholastic players are in your club?
A: There typically 2-4 players between 10 and 16 years participating in our tournaments.

Q: Do you offer chess lessons?
A: The short answer is no. We offer USCF-rated tournaments with a time control of 60 minutes per game.

New to Chess:

Q: Why do I have to be a member of USCF?
A: Good question. The main reason is establish and maintain a rating that will allow us to pair you with the appropriate opponents. Having an official rating allows you to track you progress over time. One of the things the USCF does is to calculate the official ratings for its members.

Q: How do I become a member of USCF?
A: You can either sign up yourself at the USCF website or talk to the Tournament Director at the club. He can sign you up as well.

Q: What do I have to bring to the meetings?
A: You don't have to bring anything. Most likely your opponent will bring his chess set including a chess clock. Also, the chess club has a limited number of chess sets and clocks that can be used for tournament play.

Others:

Q: How strong is your chess club?
A: We have typically somewhere around 25 players participating in our tournaments. About one third is rated 1800 and above, one third between 1400 and 1800 and one third below 1400.
 
Q: When can I join a tournament?
A  You can join a tournament when ever you want. We are glad to welcome new players at any time. Since we normally don't have prizes there is no downside of joining a tournament after Round 1. We will pair you for the remaining rounds in the most appropriate score group.