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Northwest ChessWashington Chess FederationOregon Chess FederationABOUT US / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSNorthwest Chess is a registered nonprofit corporation jointly owned and operated by the Washington Chess Federation (WCF) and the Oregon Chess Federation (OCF). The primary purpose of Northwest Chess (NWC) is to publish a monthly chess magazine of the same name, however NWC also collects dues for the WCF and the OCF and helps to promote chess in the Northwest (including promotion via this website).
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 World 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. 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 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: Yes, temporary memberships (often called tournament memberships) and trial membership are available from the USCF, the WCF/OCF, as well as from some individual chess clubs. Q: I am interested in chess instruction. 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, or leave a message at 253-850-2996, which is listed in the Verizon Yellow Pages under "Chess Instruction" in some areas. Have any additional questions? – Please use the feedback form on the homepage, or call the business manager.
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