If you’re serious about chess and want to establish yourself in the competitive scene, getting a FIDE rating is an essential step. A FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) rating represents your strength in official tournaments and is recognized worldwide. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of obtaining your first FIDE rating.

1. Get a FIDE ID

Before playing in a FIDE-rated tournament, you need a FIDE ID, which is assigned through your national chess federation. The process varies by country, but usually, you need to:

• Register with your national federation.
• Provide personal details (name, birthdate, country).
• Pay any required federation fees.

Your FIDE ID will be used to track your games and ratings.

2. Find a FIDE-Rated Tournament

To get a FIDE rating, you must participate in an official FIDE-rated tournament. You can find such events by:

• Checking your national chess federation’s website for upcoming FIDE-rated events.
• Visiting the FIDE website (www.fide.com) to see international tournament listings.
• Asking local chess clubs if they host or know about upcoming rated events.

Make sure the tournament follows FIDE rules, as not all chess competitions are officially rated.

3. Basic Requirements for a FIDE Rating:

• You must play in a FIDE-rated tournament.
• You need to score at least one point (win or draw games) against already-rated players.
• You must play a minimum of 5 games in a rated event.
• Player must achieve a rating performance of at least 1400

4. Play Against Rated Players

For your first rating, you must score at least one point (a win or a draw) against opponents who already have a FIDE rating. If you don’t score against rated players, your performance won't count toward getting a FIDE rating. You can calculate your provisional FIDE rating here: FIDE Rating Calculator.

5. Wait for Your Rating to Be Published

After completing the tournament, the organizer submits the results to FIDE. Ratings are updated on the 1st of each month on the FIDE website. You can check your name in the FIDE rating list (ratings.fide.com).

If you have met all the conditions, your first rating will appear there!

6. Keep Playing to Improve Your Rating

Once you have a FIDE rating, you’ll want to improve it. This means:

• Playing regularly in rated tournaments.
• Studying chess openings, middlegame plans, and endgames.
• Analyzing your games to learn from mistakes.
• Practicing against stronger players to gain experience.

Getting a FIDE rating is an exciting milestone for any chess player. It allows you to compete on a global level, track your progress, and set new goals. Whether you’re aiming for 2000+ or just starting out, remember that consistent play and study will help you improve.

If you’re looking for training games against Titled Players, check out BoltChess (boltchess.com)—a great way to gain experience before stepping into a real FIDE-rated tournament.