What is OTB rating here? Explain!
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I'm very confused 😕 about all these stuffs.
AimlessAlgebraist wrote:
OTB (over the board) ratings refer to games played face-to-face against your opponent. An example would be a FIDE rating.
Ok thanks! and also define me these things Â
-FIDE
-USCF
-BCF
-National
I think the answer is that FIDE is making yourself a little known with the chess community, then USCF a step up, then BCF is another step up, and national being a grand master. Correct me if I'm wrong. (Google did not give me answers for this, maybe someone else knows the true meaning?)
um fide is he international chess federation uscf is us chess federation bcf idk and national I need context
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Two people sitting at a table across from each other with a board and pieces playing the game are playing OTB, over the board.
JimRichmond wrote:
Two people sitting at a table across from each other with a board and pieces playing the game are playing OTB, over the board.
This was already explained 4 years ago.
I asked my grandpa, who was one of the best players in the world in his prime, and he says USCF is for beginners, FIDE is for when you beat all the USCFs and UFC is when you compete for the WC title. Not many people get to UFC. BCF is just for playing with your friends and national is when playing opponents from your country.
how do i figure out what my rating is for when my chess friends and friends in general ask
MelitaTheKitty wrote:
I think the answer is that FIDE is making yourself a little known with the chess community, then USCF a step up, then BCF is another step up, and national being a grand master. Correct me if I'm wrong. (Google did not give me answers for this, maybe someone else knows the true meaning?)
Nice Kitty!
Jan 15, 2026
0
#11
So FIDE stands for Fédération Internationale des Échecs.
USCF stands for US Chess Federation.
BCF stands for British Chess Federation.
each Federation has their own rating
Snow-Lotus wrote:
So FIDE stands for (...)
Aren't you a bit too late? The question was asked 8 years ago.
Jan 15, 2026
0
#13
you gain fide rating when you score atleast points against fide rated players
MelitaTheKitty wrote:
I think the answer is that FIDE is making yourself a little known with the chess community, then USCF a step up, then BCF is another step up, and national being a grand master. Correct me if I'm wrong. (Google did not give me answers for this, maybe someone else knows the true meaning?)
You were wrong and mixed up but along the right kind of lines.
Jan 16, 2026
0
#15
WGM GM NM CM IM WNM WCM WFM FM WIM AGM AFM ANM AIM ACM UR INT BEG ADV M
Also I don't think BCF exists any more. I have an ECF rating. I think BCF were far better and more accurate. But they were only updated twice a year and maybe 20 years ago only once a year. There's actually a lot to be said for that because you play at one rating all year.
The problem with FIDE style ratings applied to weak amateurs is that you can have a winning run, your rating goes sky high, and then you lose every game you play for months. We see examples of that on Chess.com with Glicko and then there are forum threads like "I was winning every game and now I'm on a massive tilt. What should I do? And the answer is to play a thousand games without worrying about your rating, and then another thousand and you may just be starting to understand some of the basics of chess. But only if you're a good learner.