US Chess

US Chess, historically familiar by the abbreviation USCF, is the United States Chess Federation. It is the national federation that organizes and supports much of competitive chess in the United States and represents the country within FIDE, the international federation.

US Chess sanctions tournaments, maintains its own rating system, runs national championships, affiliates clubs, and awards titles within its system. A rating is a numerical estimate of competitive playing strength based on results. US Chess ratings and FIDE ratings are separate systems, so the same player can have different numbers in each.

The federation was founded in 1939 through the merger of two earlier United States chess organizations. Its role is national, while organizations such as ICCF administer a different form of chess, correspondence chess, internationally.