Why are FIDE-rated tournaments prevalent in Europe but not in the United States? - Chess Forums

ChessGuy140

Sep 3, 2020

0

#1

Note that I am talking about pre-Covid. Obviously, it is very difficult to hold tournaments during a pandemic.

In the United States, there are many USCF tournaments but few FIDE tournaments. Why is this? If it is because the U.S. has a USCF rating system, why not scrap that rating system and replace it with FIDE ratings? Otherwise, how do you get enough FIDE-rated players to attend your tournament?

Martin_Stahl

Sep 3, 2020

0

#2

NTN42 wrote:

I don't think it is the rating system since you can just rate both in the same tournament we do that all the time in Denmark.

I think the two reason is

You have to pay a fee to FIDE when doing FIDE tournaments. And that makes the tournament more expensive.
I think (and someone correct my if I am wrong) they is some different chess rules from USCF <-> FIDE moving pieces with two hands when castling is allows in USCF I think but not FIDE and also some draw position rule are different if I remember correct.

Those are correct. It costs significantly more to rate a tournament under FIDE. Also, you have to have a licenced arbiter, which takes additional things that a lot of tournament directors either don't want to mess with or don't have the directing experience to qualify for.

ChessGuy140

Sep 6, 2020

0

#3

Martin_Stahl wrote:

NTN42 wrote:

I don't think it is the rating system since you can just rate both in the same tournament we do that all the time in Denmark.

I think the two reason is

You have to pay a fee to FIDE when doing FIDE tournaments. And that makes the tournament more expensive.
I think (and someone correct my if I am wrong) they is some different chess rules from USCF <-> FIDE moving pieces with two hands when castling is allows in USCF I think but not FIDE and also some draw position rule are different if I remember correct.

Those are correct. It costs significantly more to rate a tournament under FIDE. Also, you have to have a licenced arbiter, which takes additional things that a lot of tournament directors either don't want to mess with or don't have the directing experience to qualify for.

So why don't the higher fees and licensed arbiter requirements discourage european countries from holding fide-rated tournaments?

Martin_Stahl

Sep 6, 2020

0

#4

TPButler wrote:

You also get to play more Russians in Europe. Americans get uptight and only allow top Russian GMs to compete in the USA.

Pretty sure any player that wants to travel to the US to play would be welcome in just about any tournament. That said, most organizations don't have the money to do anything more than offer free entry to the event.

Martin_Stahl

Sep 6, 2020

0

#5

ChessGuy140 wrote:

Martin_Stahl wrote:

NTN42 wrote:

I don't think it is the rating system since you can just rate both in the same tournament we do that all the time in Denmark.

I think the two reason is

You have to pay a fee to FIDE when doing FIDE tournaments. And that makes the tournament more expensive.
I think (and someone correct my if I am wrong) they is some different chess rules from USCF <-> FIDE moving pieces with two hands when castling is allows in USCF I think but not FIDE and also some draw position rule are different if I remember correct.

Those are correct. It costs significantly more to rate a tournament under FIDE. Also, you have to have a licenced arbiter, which takes additional things that a lot of tournament directors either don't want to mess with or don't have the directing experience to qualify for.

So why don't the higher fees and licensed arbiter requirements discourage european countries from holding fide-rated tournaments?

I have no idea, but one of the other issues is there aren't a lot of FIDE rated players in the US, so for many areas, it does not make sense to hold events, since most players won't meet opponents with established FIDE ratings.

Also, in the US, other than larger events, which will often have a FIDE rated section, most events are smaller so paying the extra $60 for each section to be rated, isn't something most organizations want to do, even if the meet the requirements to be authorized to be a FIDE arbiter.