Useful Information & Links for Tournament Players

Below is a collection of helpful resources for players participating in Mechanics' Institute tournaments.

U.S. Chess Federation (USCF) Membership

Most of our tournaments are USCF-rated, which means all players must have a valid and current USCF membership.

Check Your Membership Status:

• New US Chess website: https://new.uschess.org/civicrm/player-search
• USCF database search: https://www.uschess.org/datapage/player-search.php

Renew or Purchase a USCF Membership:

• Directly through US Chess: https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
• Through Mechanics' Institute:
  • Jumbula portal: https://mechanics-institute.jumbula.com/2025Tournaments/USCFMemberships
  • Custom Payment Page: https://milibrary.org/chess/custom-payment.php
  • Pay by cash or check to the Tournament Director onsite.

Custom payment page

Players who need to pay outstanding fees—such as play-up fees, partial entry fees, or other tournament-related charges—can do so via our custom payment page.

Make a payment: https://milibrary.org/chess/custom-payment.php

FIDE-Rated Tournaments and FIDE ID Requirement

Some of our tournaments are not only USCF-rated but also FIDE-rated. To participate in these events, all players must have a FIDE ID.

Obtaining a FIDE ID is free of charge, and we can help you request one through the U.S. Chess Federation.

How to Request a FIDE ID:

Please complete the short form at the link below to provide the required information:

FIDE ID Request Form: https://forms.gle/2qxEVrTJrPrLKQ1i8

If you're registering multiple players (e.g. your children), please submit a separate form for each player, using a unique email address for each one.

Important Notes:

1. A player may be registered under a national federation if they are a citizen, naturalized citizen, or legal resident of that country.
2. If you are not a U.S. citizen or resident, we cannot request a USA-affiliated FIDE ID on your behalf. Instead, please contact your country’s national federation directly:
   FIDE Member Federation Directory: https://fide.com/directory/member-federations
3. The following information will be collected in the form and shared with US Chess for the FIDE registration:
   1. Full name, USCF ID, Date of Birth, Address, Gender (Note: FIDE requires gender to be listed for all players and currently only accepts "Male" or "Female" as valid entries.)

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We're happy to help you through the process!