A. Jorge Garcia:
A local tournament director can be the assistant tournament director in the 4 year term, then would not need to take the test. Anyone looking at my tournament history, its’ very clear there is more then 4 tournaments in the last 4 years. Looking to get my card for my third term in June 2005.
OK, now for a Club TD to qualify for the Local TD exam you have to have:
(1) an established classical rating (at leasted 25 G/30 rated games)
(2) TD 3 tourneys in 3 years
Is that correct and complete?
TIA,
AJG
See chapter 7 of the USCF rulebook for the requirements for TD certification and advancement to higher levels.
(Note, in order to become a club TD you have already certified that you have access to a copy of the current USCF rulebook.)
Yes, I’ve read that blasted book from cover to cover several times trying to understand it.
Much of it was rewritten in a more understandable form in the latest edition. However, some of it is still unintelligible. That is why I post questions on this forum from time to time. Is this forum not here to help TDs with such questions?
Regards,
AJG
The whole reason for having standards is to set some minimum level of comprehension of the rules.
Please don’t take this personally, but if you can’t understand whether you meet any of the six criteria for the Local TD level, I have to wonder how well you understand other rules, some of which are much more complex.
That doesn’t mean I’m not sympathetic to your confusion, either. There’s an old saying, “A camel is a horse designed by a committee.” Well, USCF rules have been created by many committees over the years.
I find the TD certification requirements somewhat inconsistent. For example, there are several types of experience requirements, which basically all translate to ‘3 events’, and then there’s 26e: 'Satisfactory performance for three years as a club TD."
Now, what the heck does ‘satisfactory perfomance’ mean? Presumably that means SOME directing experience over those three years, but it doesn’t specify what. Getting a local card and directing NO events for 3 years would mean that there were no unsatiisfactory performances as a TD, wouldn’t it? But that’s certainly NOT what is implied by ‘satisfactory performance.’ I think 26e is at best redundant.
I remember when I took the Senior exam (closed book at the US Open in Portland Oregon, as I recall), there was one question that was so convoluted and oddly written that in my opinion none of the answers were correct. Therefore I chose none of them and gave my own answer. When the exam was graded, I fell one point short of qualifying. However, I was able to argue my case on that question sufficiently to get full credit for it and pass the exam. (The question was subsequently rewritten.)
Mr. Garcia:
Did do a check with you’re name in the MSA. Under your tournaments, you do have a number of quick events that would not be thought as swiss events; they could be thought as round robins then swiss. You do have one tournament, regular rated swiss with 23 entries, that will count.
At this time you need two more tournaments at G/30 or slower, with 27 entries total between the two tournaments. One of these tournaments you will need to be the ‘chief tournament director’ as the one credit you got was as a assistant tournament director. If you want you could use a quick events with a total of two to make one full swiss classical tournament; would not do something like that as quick tournaments do not give a director any great experience.
The best way to look at Mr Garcia, you will need two tournaments with the time control of G/30 or slower with a total of 27 entries; one of these tournaments you will still need to be the ‘chief tournament director’.
OK, so you’re saying that Cheif TD in a QUAD (3RR) doesn’t count. I need a total of 50 people in a combination of swiss tourneys and I have to be a Chief TD in at least one of these swisses. Is this correct? IE: the one that I am Cheif TD can be any kind of swiss: 3SS, 4SS, etc. and G/5, G/10, G/30, etc.
If this is so, then I need 27 more people in swisses. I’m again Assistant TD this Jan at the Briarcliffe College Winter 4SS G/60. So, if I am Cheif TD in, say, one OCTO (3SS G/10), all I need is 19 people at the Briarcliffe and I’m qualified to take the Local TD exam (asside from needing 14 rated games at G/30 or slower to get an established classical rating - I’m doing 8 this month so I’ll get there too).
Regards,
AJG
Jorge,
You already have part of the requirement of 26a., which is “… assistant TD of two additional Cat D tournaments…” (you were assistant at the 23-player event) You need one more like that, which, hopefully, you will get after the “Briarcliffe College Winter”. After that, you will need one Cat D tournament as chief.
As I read it, the two additional Cat D tournaments (in 26a.) need to have a total combined number of 50 players. The “one Cat D tournament” requirement can have any number of players under 50, as long as it is a swiss. So if you run an 3 round 6-8 player swiss, for example (plus the Briarcliff Winter), you will have the required experience.
Doug is correct that the Quads that you have run do not qualify, since the rules require “swiss” events, and a Quad is a RR (even though USCF categorized it as a “swiss” event on the crosstable)
I hope this is clear. If not, let us hear 
There wouldn’t be any satisfactory performances either! Heck, there’d be no performance at all!
When I first took the Sr. exam, I missed by one or two as well. But they wouldn’t tell me which ones I missed. I tried, in vain, to get them to tell me. My argument was that if I knew the questions I missed, that would be of help in gaining my knowledge of the rules. I wanted to be a good TD, and I wanted to make sure that I knew what I was doing. I didn’t think that their telling me which ones I missed would allow me to somehow cheat the system on the next test. But I couldn’t get them to waiver! How on earth did you?
First, this was in 1987, they might have been a bit more flexible then.
Second, I took it closed book.
Third, I had written a rather lengthy explanation of my ‘none of the above’ answer to one question, and that was the one I got the points back on.
I suspect the committee already had concerns about that question (which I don’t honestly recall anymore) and I was the impetus for changing it.
Garcia:
At this time you have one tournament and 27 entries in the bank; only needing two more swiss tournaments with only one as yourself as the chief tournament director; only needing 23 more entries in the two swiss tournaments. Even if you are the assistant tournament director and then one as chief tournament director, you could still have less then the needed 23 more entries.
You could use this as a substitution:e. Satisfactory performance for three years as a club TD (page 248, Official Rules of Chess). The members of this forum talked about this, Mr Pond did give you an extra year as a club director. That would mean you did give performance for three years as a club director, only needing to have a established USCF rating before needing to take the local test.
The only problem with this substitution: you can use for taking the test, it will not give you any more expierence as a director just because you fullfilled out a term as a club director. There is a total difference with being a chief tournament director and as a assistant tournament director; as a number of chief tournament directors would only give nothing of any importance for being a assistant tournament director. Have knowed assistant tournament directors, with the only duties being to set up the tables, or just get information away from the desk, like how a game ended on a board were the chief director cannot see, or run and get some food for the directors, ect. Would say the local test will not talk about how to set up a table or how to get food.
OK, I thought I was OK with the 3 yr Club TD substitution.
I’m surprised about one thing, however. I know that my QUADS don’t count for Chief TD credit, but don’t the people in them count toward the 50?
Anyway, that’s a moot point as with the substitution I only need to get my classical rating established.
You know, all this is somewhat of a hassle for someone like me who just wants to offer a rated QUAD or OCTO once a week! Maybe there should be a special Extended Club TD certificate for teachers like me whereby you get an indefinite term (or 3 yr renewable with satisfactory performance as a Club TD) and you don’t have to take the Local Exam. BTW, I don’t want to be restricted to just Scholastic events or JTPs. Just a thought…
Thanx to all who helped clear this up!
Regards,
AJG
Mister Garcia:
At one time the ‘club tournament director’ did have a renewable term. The idea was make a larger pool of certified local directors; force the non-active club directors out of the pool of certified club directorships. Have thought it would be best, having a certified directorship between the club director and the local director.
Ok I am ready for the Senior TD test 
Who do I contact to get the test? Is there a way to contact the person through email to make it faster?
Thanks,
James Riker
Contact Larry Pond (ratings@uschess.org)
Be sure to indicate your experience, the USCF’s records aren’t always accurate or complete.
I haven’t run any kind of statistical analysis (maybe Mike could 
, but I think I do just as well at tournaments I direct as those I don’t. I don’t find it is that much of a drag on your rating.
Perhaps instead we should say it’s good for your rating because your opponent might be intimidated playing the tournament director!
The only way that I could say it would definitely hurt my rating performance is I would be less inclined to do something like try to win a game by running someone out of time (less of an issue with delay clocks, but still possible) in a clearly drawn position if I’m directing the tournament.
If you’re rated 1200 though, I think you’ll find it easy to gain rating points just because if you just get good enough to not drop pieces frequently there is a good chance your rating will go up. The game is less subtle at the lower rating levels - just pay attention to your opponents checks, threats to check, captures, and threats to capture and you can win a lot of games.
There may be other ways, depending on how dedicated you are to your directing tasks.
If you decide not to bother with wall charts, and just keep the players guessing as to the standings, you’ll have more time to devote to your own game. Ditto if you decide to remain oblivious to potential problems (such as imminent double time scrambles) that may be developing all around you.
If I am playing in a tournament in which the TD is playing, it is comforting for me to know that the TD is not doing well in the tournament! That way, I figure he is probably attaching more importance to his TD duties.
Bill Smythe
Bill:
If its’ a small event (less then 20), and there would be someone getting a ‘bye’ in the round. Would use myself as a house man, if and only if there is nobody else. If the rounds without myself, would be a equal number of people, would not be a playing director. If done that way, would force someone to take a bye in the tournament. Nobody wants to go to a event, just to wait around with a bye.
Can see the problem with a playing director. If the event is small, with the playing director as a house man, would not find the director having a problem. Have made it my policy (December 2004), if being a house man would pair myself with a scholastic player in a extra rated game. The scholastic player would get a full point in the tournament. As adults do drive miles just to come to a event, knowing they are not in the mood to play a scholastic player.
If being a playing director, and something is happening to take me away from my game. Something to do with my directorship, would let my clock run even that I have the right to stop the clock. If my clock is at a low level, and even having a winning game. If I have to take care of a problem knowing my clock flag would fall, would just resign my game.
Some times, one of the duties to the players, is make it as fair as can be. Is it not the spirit of a director, if something would make it unfair for some party, should it not be the director to get the worst settlement.
Sometimes? SOMETIMES???
Please come up with ONE situation in which the TD should NOT be trying to make the event as fair as possible for the players!!
I don’t know if people realize the realities of directing adult tournaments in smaller locales. It’s nearly impossible to make money or maybe even break even in the long run. If you were to try to pay yourself some small wage (minimum wage?) it’s absolutely impossible.
So why run a tournament?
To promote chess? Sure that’s a noble goal, and I help out running scholastic tournaments a few times a year for that reason.
The real reason I several tournaments a month though is because I like to play chess, and unless another person steps in and starts running tournaments (which wasn’t happening very often before I started) I have to run chess tournaments in order to play in one.
There are several things that make playing in a tournament and directing possible: