Can u get official rating online before your 1st tournment?

Running Chess Tournaments
1

Hi,
I am very new to chess tournaments, I wanted to register in USCF and play in my first tournament this weekend. When I called up the guy who holds the tournament, he told me that I have to play in open category first to get my rating. I know that my rating is 1400-1500, and may be even lower in 15 minute games. I don’t want to go and get my butt whipped the very first tournament I go to. Is there a way to get some kind of official rating online and then go to the tournament and play in U1600 division or I must to go play Open and get my butt kicked?

2

It sounds like he is restricting unrated players from playing in the other section(s). That’s not all that unusual.

While there are some online tournaments being held, the process of getting a ‘published’ rating usually takes several months, since we only produce official rating supplements every other month.

Your choices appear to be somewhat limited in this case, because you will remain an ‘unrated’ player until the April supplement (if not later).

That probably means playing in the open section.

3

You should probably play in a few small, single-section tournaments before you tackle a multi-layered class tournament. That way, you’ll soon find your level, whatever it is.

Bill Smythe

4

To extend Bill’s idea you might try checking out your rating from those small events on-line at uschess.org in the MSA section. While that rating is unofficial (official ratings match the every other month published supplement) you could print it out and take it to your next event. TDs are given wiggle room when it comes to assigning ratings to unrateds. The worst thing that could happen is that the TD will be a “by the book” person and force you to play as officially Unrated.

Different events treat Unrateds differently; i.e., some force Unrateds into the Open section, some restrict the prizes they can win, others force them to play in a special section. Find the events that best suit your needs and play away.

Club play is also a very good way to get a rating without getting your backside too sore.

Tim