Dear Tournament Directors, Organizers, and Affiliates:
Effective January 1, 2024, a number of changes to the current 7th Edition of the US Chess Federation’s Official Rules of Chess will go into effect. Please see the summary document here.
The free chapters of the rule book have been updated at this link.
The print edition of the rule book has also been updated. To differentiate it from other recent updates to the 7th Edition, the cover color has been changed from blue to yellow. The book can be purchased at US Chess Sales beginning in January for $21.99
The Kindle version of the book can be purchased at Amazon beginning December 31, 2023 for $14.99.
More information is available at our USChess.org rules page.
FIDE-to-US Chess Conversion Formula
FIDE (World Chess Federation) will be making some major changes to their rating system which will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Details of the changes can be found at https://www.fide.com/news/2784 . One of the more impactful changes is a one-time increase to the FIDE ratings of players rated below 2000. The adjustment will follow the formula:
Revised FIDE Rating = Old FIDE Rating + 0.4(2000 - Old FIDE Rating)
Ratings above 2000 will remain unchanged. This adjustment will increase a 1000 FIDE rating to 1400; a 1500 FIDE rating to 1700; and a 1900 FIDE rating to 1940.
FIDE ratings play a role in the US Chess rating system through a conversion formula that determines an estimated US Chess rating based on a FIDE rating. This conversion formula, described on page 5 of the US Chess Rating system specifications (https://new.uschess.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/the-us-chess-rating-system-revised-september-2020.pdf), is used for two purposes. First, the formula is used as part of our rating system to assign an initial US Chess rating to US-Chess-unrated players who have a FIDE rating. Second, the formula is also used to update the ratings of US Chess players who compete in FIDE events that are not US Chess events. To best reflect the change to FIDE ratings, the US Chess Ratings Committee determined a revised conversion formula that reflects the change to FIDE ratings. The revised formula, which will go into effect on January 1, 2024, is the following:
USChess = 932 + 0.564*FIDE if FIDE <= 2000
USChess = 20 + 1.02*FIDE if FIDE > 2000
The change will be incorporated into the rating system specifications which will be uploaded to the US Chess website.
If you have questions about any of the above, please contact our US Chess Rules Committee.
Thank you,
US Chess |
