How to get a FIDE Rating

A question I am often asked is 'how do I actually get a FIDE rating?' 

This has been made much easier recently!  Read on...

FIDE is the Fédération internationale des échecs, or World Chess Federation. FIDE publish a rating list which covers all internationally rated events, wherever they are held.

So, you want to get an international rating? The FIDE regulations which apply since 1 July 2014 are here;

You now need to play 5 games against other FIDE rated players in a FIDE rated event.  

6.3In a Swiss or Team Tournament:
6.31For an unrated player’s first performance to count, he must score at least 1/2 point.
6.32For rated players, only games against rated opponents are counted.
6.4In the case of a round-robin tournament where one or more games are unplayed the results of the tournament must be reported for rating as if it for a Swiss System tournament.
6.5Where a match is over a specific number of games, those played after one player has won shall not be rated.
6.6Matches in which one or both of the players are unrated shall not be rated.

7.14A rating for a player new to the list shall be published only if it meets the following criteria:
7.14aIf based on results obtained under 6.2, a minimum of 5 games.
7.14bIf based on results obtained under 6.3, a minimum of 5 games played against rated opponents.
7.14cThe condition of a minimum of 5 games need not be met in one tournament. Results from other tournaments played within consecutive rating periods totalling not more than 26 months, are pooled to obtain the initial rating.
7.14dThe rating is at least 1000.
7.14eThe rating is calculated using all his results as if they were played in one tournament (it is not published until he has played at least 5 games) by using all the rating data available.

There are three kinds of FIDE rating, blitz, rapidplay and standard.  These are completely separate lists, recalculated and published monthly.

Examples of tournaments rated by FIDE in each category are Hendon Chess Club's First Thursday Blitz, Golders Green Rapidplays and Hampstead Congresses.  Most events will be swiss system tournaments.

Hampstead is now on Chess-Results.com


You can check pairings, see results and sometimes follow live games on chess-results.com - click the link to see all the latest results from chess tournaments in England, including Hampstead, Golders Green, Muswell Hill and more.
Get your chess sets and boards for schools and clubs from Chess4Schools.
chess-results.com - ENG

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