United States Chess Federation

The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership doubled due to interest in Bobby Fischer's rise to the World Championship. USCF membership dipped after Fischer's withdrawal from public competition to just below 50,000, and did not surpass its 1974 peak until 1992. Strong membership growth in the past decade has been spurred by the increase in scholastic chess clubs and the spread of chess computers.

The USCF publishes two magazines, Chess Life, which is advertised as the "most widely read chess magazine in the world", and Chess Life for Kids, which is a new publication for scholastic members, which represents just over half of USCF membership.

The USCF was incorporated in Illinois on December 27, 1939. It later became a 501(c)(4) after it established a headquarters in New York City.

Read more about United States Chess Federation:  Membership, Ratings, Activities, Controversy

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