This page outlines the basic information about membership requirements at chess events advertised on our website. (The information is likely similar for other groups as well, but you should always check with the organizers if you are not sure.) MCA membership information is located below the USCF information.
Purchasing a Membership
If an event requires a particular membership (or two memberships, in the case of many Michigan Chess Association events), then those events are expected to have those memberships for sale as a part of their registration process. You can also join ahead of time on your own, but be sure to bring proof of the purchase with you to the event. Our recommendation is that you purchase the memberships through us if possible. We offer the same rates as are available from the organizations themselves.
USCF Membership
Most of our events require the players to be active members of the United States Chess Federation (USCF). This membership makes each player a part of the USCF rating system.
A player's rating is used as a rough approximation of a player's skill level. This rating is also used to determine eligibility for certain events or prizes within events. For instance, there may be a prize awarded to the top finisher with a rating under 1800. Ratings are also fundamental to the process we use to determine player pairings for each game.
The categories, rates*, and eligibility requirements for USCF membership are as follows (as of April 5, 2008):
|
Category |
1 Year |
2 Year |
3 Year |
Eligibility Requirements |
|
Regular Membership |
$41 |
$76 |
$109 |
None |
|
Senior Membership |
$36 |
$65 |
$93 |
The player must be 65 years old or older at the time of purchase. |
|
Young Adult Membership |
$25 |
$44 |
$62 |
The player must be 24 years old or younger at the beginning of each membership year purchased at this rate. |
|
Youth Membership |
$19 |
$33 |
$46 |
The player must be 15 years old or younger at the beginning of each membership year purchased at this rate. |
|
Scholastic Membership |
$17 |
$30 |
$42 |
The player must be 12 years old or younger at the beginning of each membership year purchased at this rate.
|
|
Family Plan 1 Membership ** |
$64 |
N/A |
N/A |
Family Membership Plan 1 covers both parents and all children living at home who are under 20, and any full-time college students through age 24, even if living away from home. (Other than any full-time college students, all other family members must be living at the same address.) |
| Family Plan 2 Membership ** |
$35 |
N/A |
N/A |
Family Membership Plan 2 covers all children living at home who are under 20, but does not include the parents or any college students over 20 and not living at home. |
| Sustaining Membership |
$120 |
$240 |
$360 |
Full membership, with same benefits as Regular. After ten consecutive, uninterrupted, annual payments, converts to a Life Membership. A four-year option for $480 is also available. |
| Life Membership |
$1000 |
A one-time, lump sum payment makes the person a life-time member of the USCF, with all the benefits of a Regular membership (these benefits may change from time to time). |
| Senior Life Membership |
$500 |
Details are the same as for Life Membership above, but the person must be age 65 or older at time of purchase. |
* Note that these rates are subject to change without notice here, although we will strive to keep them current.
** In either case, each family member is issued his or her own USCF ID, and all of those memberships will expire at the same time. One of the family members needs to be designated as the primary family member. This is the person who will receive the family's copy of Chess Life every month.
MCA Membership
The West Michigan Chess Association does not require Michigan Chess Association (MCA) membership at its events. However, we will occasionally advertise events on our website (or in our newsletter) that do require this membership. We will generally sell MCA memberships at our events to those who are interested in purchasing them.
Events that require MCA membership will typically accept other state association memberships for non-Michigan residents. Further information about MCA membership rates can be found at their website.