Finding Chess clubs and tournaments?

I live in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I have found only one chess club in my area via Google, and I emailed them and never got a response. I heard through word-of-mouth that there used to be a chess club that is no longer active.

First, what is a good resource to find one?

Second, are there low level tournaments I can enter for beginners? Is it likely one would be in my area anytime soon?

Last question, I’ve heard of the US Chess Federation , as well as FIDE. I’m assuming when we’re talking about the ratings of the big players, that’s all FIDE since they are the World Chess Federation. Do both have separate rating systems? Does one more likely to have lower level tournaments than the other? If there is already a global chess federation, what’s the point of having a US one as well?

Most local Libraries have a chess club. If not sometimes they are on USCF. There are tournaents on USCF that are rated and listed just search your state and area. USCF is the FIDE branch in The US officially. They have near identical rating systems. Both have the same level tourneys with rating limits. Originally USCF was made before FIDE was a huge thing.

Thank you, I’ll try calling my local library. I would like to play for a while over the board with other “experienced novices“ before I enter a tournament. The vast majority of my playing time has been online, and I bet my Chess vision is significantly worse with live three dimensional pieces and board

How old are you?  This is a very important question!  Because if you qualify to play in USCF scholastic chess (usually you have to be K-12 or K-8), a whole bunch of low-level (and even high ligh level) tournament just opened up to you.  Plus these tournaments are cheap because they don't give cash prizes.

 

Now to your questions:

1. USCF web site has a list of tournaments.  Some states have their own chess federation, which also lists tournaments.

2. Yes,  If you are a kid, see above; if you are an adult; then there are low-level tournaments but they don't happen often,  The best way is to join a club that's got people your level.  Clubs normally hosts tournaments but breaks it up into many days.

3. You want to stick with USCF since you are in the US; esp. low level tournaments, they all want USCF membership.

Thank you, mgx9600. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective, I’m very much an adult. Or at least I pretend to be 😉

 Hi, you could join, play & ask about OTB in this club:

https://www.chess.com/club/north-carolina-usa2

There is a club in Fayetteville that just held a tourney last weekend, so there is apparently some chess still active your area: http://www.uschess.org/assets/msa_joomla/AffiliateSearch/clubresultsnew.php?pg=4&st=NC

 

That affiliate doesn't have any contact information so I don't know if they just run tourneys or what.

 

Another place to check would be http://www.ncchess.org/clubs.html

that has an e-mail for the club listed on the USCF site, but I'm not sure if that is who you contacted or not.

 

As to FIDE vs USCF, almost every rated in the US is going to be USCF and there is a chance, depending on your area that it is also FIDE rated.

 

 

 

Hey, NP. I'm an adult too; and I feel you pain.

There's an unfilled need for more beginner-level adult tournaments (and can allow kids too) like under 1200.  I know many adults who's just learned chess and don't care about winning cash -- just want to play in rated tournaments with others of similar strength.

 

 

Most adult tournaments seem to be catering to the 1900+ players who played chess as kids.  USCF can get a lot more adult members if they focus on adult beginners (a lot more adults who didn't play/continue to play chess than those that did); chess is a pretty fun game.

I think the most up to date info is:

FAYETTEVILLE CHESS CLUB

(USCF ID A6009450): LES KLINE.

SUN 2-5PM call for Tues sched. ATLANTA BREAD CO, 3196 N COLLEGE AVE, FAYETTEVILLE. Contact: LES KLINE. Contact Phone: (479) 595-5720 or 479-444-8530

email: cl_kline@sbcglobal.net.

https://chessclubusa.org/arkansas/fayetteville-chess-club

On Thursdays was also at Cafe Imbibe which is now under new management & now called 612 Six Twelve.

http://ozarkia.net/chess/index.html

 

Other (maybe older info):

FAYETTEVILLE CHESS CLUB,

(USCF ID A6049814): William Kirk Bobbitt.

Fayetteville Chess Club, 7-11 p.m., Arsaga’s, 2418 N. Gregg Ave., Fayetteville; 521-7018.

Thank you! I’ll try calling tomorrow. And thanks to everyone for your inputs.

The first club listed by @Brendan_UK in post 10 and @stuzzicadenti in post 14 is in Arkansas, not North Carolina.

 

Become a TD and run some tourneys then. The USCF runs some tourneys but the vast majority are run by regular members. It's easy to be a TD, at the Club and Local level and if there is really that kind of demand in your area, then you could run some events. You might need an affiliate as well, if there isn't one that would let you run events under them though.

 

I know when I hold one-day events with an U1400 section, the turnouts aren't normally much different than if they are combined. The 1200 and under adult player group isn't really that large I don't think.