Northwest Chess magazine is published monthly by Northwest Chess, a non profit corporation registered in the State of Washington. Northwest Chess is managed by a board with members from Washington, Oregon and Idaho and includes the business manager and publisher of the magazine. Northwest Chess is the official monthly publication of the Washington and Oregon Chess Federations, and the Idaho Chess Association. Magazine and website © NWC, All Rights Reserved (except for public domain information and news such as calendar listings).

NWC also collects dues for the WCF and the OCF and helps to promote chess in the Northwest (including promotion via this website).

•  Visit the NWC Forum (bulletin board system for discussions/announcements).

•  See NWC magazine information (including WCF/OCF membership/subscription forms).

•  See NWC Grand Prix information.

•  See the WCF/OCF/ICA/NWC officers and board members.

•  See the constitution of the Washington Chess Federation.

Q: Please explain how subscriptions and memberships work for Idaho residents (New!)

A: Because of differences in how the ICA treats memberships, NWC will not initially collect membership dues for ICA like it does for WCF and OCF. Instead, memberships and magazine subscriptions will be collected at certain Idaho chess events, with agreed-upon amounts retained by ICA and remitted to NWC. The current total cost for a membership and monthly magazine subscription is $25 per year. Idaho residents may subscribe directly to NWC via the NWC website, however subscriptions purchased in that manner will not include an ICA membership. Also visit the ICA’s website at www.idahochessassociation.org.

Q: Please explain how the subscriptions and memberships work.

A: If you are a Washington or Oregon resident, your subscription to Northwest Chess includes an individual membership in your state chess federation, and vice versa. (This does not apply to schools, libraries, clubs, etc.) Family memberships are also available at a small additional cost. There is no such thing as a separate NWC membership; you are either a WCF or OCF member (with a subscription), or just a NWC subscriber. (Out of state subscribers may still play in WCF/OCF membership-required events, but do not have voting rights.) Please make all checks payable to NWC (not WCF or OCF) unless you are entering a tournament and including the membership with your entry fee.

Q: What about chess ratings?

A: Most major tournaments in the United States are rated by the United States Chess Federation (USCF). Some major events also have sections rated by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). There is no such thing as a separate WCF or OCF chess rating system, although there is a separately-administered Northwest Scholastic Rating System. Also, some chess clubs maintain their own ratings for games played among club members. If you have an idea what your chess rating might be from Internet or computer play, you should realize that these ratings are unofficial and may be inflated compared to over-the-board ratings. More information about chess ratings is available on the USCF and various other websites, and in various books and articles.

Q: What memberships do I need?

A: If you intend to play in WCF/OCF chess events, or in weekend tournaments run by certain chess clubs (Seattle, Tacoma and Portland) you will need a USCF membership and a WCF/OCF membership, or a valid membership from another state or provincial chess federation if you are visiting. For chess club events, a club membership may qualify you for a discounted entry fee, but is normally not required for major weekend tournaments.

Most scholastic tournaments do not require any of these memberships, however advanced scholastic players are encouraged to take advantage of the junior rate to join WCF/OCF and receive the magazine. (There's a lot of good instructional content!)

There are a number of chess club events (often held on Friday nights or other weeknights) that may require club membership, but often not USCF and WCF/OCF memberships. Please inquire with a local chess club about these events ... they can be a good way for beginners or inexperienced players to get started!

Q: Are temporary or trial memberships available?

A: Temporary memberships (often called tournament memberships) and trial membership may be available from the USCF, the WCF/OCF, as well as from some individual chess clubs. In the case of the WCF/OCF, $5.00 tournament memberships (valid for a single event) may be accepted on-site at the discretion of the tournament director. This is usually done as a courtesy to new players who may face significant expense when they need to pay for entry fees and memberships at the same time. The WCF/OCF no longer advertise 3-month trial memberships (due to very infrequent use), however the business manager may be able to accommodate your request for such a membership.

Q: Are multi-year memberships available?

A: Yes! As of October 2010, 3-year discounted memberships are now available. The discount will be 20% until March 2011, and somewhat less thereafter. See the magazine page for more information.

Q: I am interested in chess instruction or coaching. Can you help me?

A: Northwest Chess can help you locate a suitable chess coach. Please see the links page and also the scholastic page if coaching is intended for a junior chess player. If you would like to discuss this or other topics in person, please call the business manager at 541-647-1021.

Q: Can I make a donation?

A: Yes – See Northwest Chess Knights. Donations are not tax deductible.

Have any additional questions? – Please use the feedback form on the homepage, or call the business manager.