USCF ratings question...

Hello all,
I'm considering joining the USCF and making a push towards more local OTB play.
Just curious, what OTB games change one's rating? Only USCF tournament entries? Only games officiated in a "club" or tournament setting? What factors make an OTB game an "official" USCF rated game?

I apologize if this is spelled out clearly on the USCF's site, but I didn't see anything.
Thanks.

Originally posted by xnomanx
Hello all,
I'm considering joining the USCF and making a push towards more local OTB play.
Just curious, what OTB games change one's rating? Only USCF tournament entries? Only games officiated in a "club" or tournament setting? What factors make an OTB game an "official" USCF rated game?

I apologize if this is spelled out clearly on the USCF's site, but I didn't see anything.
Thanks.

I think in order for a game to be USCF rated, it must be played as part of a USCF activity that's sponsored by a USCF affiliate. (The USCF affiliate pays a fee to the USCF for every USCF rated game that's played.) I've only been involved in USCF rated tournaments, but I think an alliliate can also host matches, and maybe even individual games.

Many chess clubs in the U.S. are also USCF affiliates, so many of the tournaments hosted by those clubs are also USCF rated.

An official OTB game is one that is, as the previous poster stated, sanctioned by a USCF affiliate; the affiliate must pay a "rating fee" to the USCF for that tournament/game.