Ratings Tab - Environment Options

This tab controls what ratings are loaded with online or database searches and how ratings are calculated for tournament play.

New in v11.78: Rating search configuration has been consolidated into a single unified dialog, replacing the previous separate settings spread across multiple locations.

Rating Search Configuration

Access: Rating search settings are available in several locations:

Registration: Click the Rating options button in the registration toolbar
Environment Options: Go to Options > Environment… and select the Ratings tab
Update Options: Shown automatically when using Database > Update players from database or Internet > Update players from USCF or FIDE site

Settings are shared across all locations — changes made in one place apply everywhere. The configuration interface consolidates all rating import preferences into a single panel. Settings are tournament-specific and control both online searches and database imports.

This dialog may auto-open on first use to ensure proper configuration before registration begins.

Federation Selection

Choose the rating federation for this tournament:

Federation	Description	Use For
USCF	United States Chess Federation	US tournaments with full online search support
FIDE	International Chess Federation	FIDE-rated tournaments with simplified import options
N/A	Other federations	Tournaments not using USCF or FIDE ratings

N/A Federation Behavior:

Disables all online search functionality
Hides “Online” database status label from registration search panel
Useful for federations without online search support (CFC, ECF, etc.)

USCF Mode Options

When USCF is selected, the full set of options is available:

Online Search Settings:

Rating Source: Published (monthly updates) or Live (tournament history with post-rerate)
Supplement Date: Choose Latest to always use the most recent available USCF rating supplement, or Tournament date to use the supplement that was current as of the tournament’s starting date. “Tournament date” refers to the Starting Date set in the Tournament Setup dialog (Setup menu). Using the tournament date ensures player ratings reflect what was published before the event began, which is standard practice for USCF-rated events.
Online event: Enable for internet-based tournaments to load online ratings (Online Regular/Quick/Blitz)
Use highest rating: Automatically offer highest available rating during registration

Rating Import Settings:

Rating Type: Regular, Quick, or Blitz
Missing rating strategy: Leave blank / Use alternate / Prompt / Special handling for online-quick
Provisionally rated: Warn me or Accept without warning

Special Handling for Online-Quick:

This strategy applies special rules for online quick events:

Uses Online Quick rating as primary
Falls back to OTB Regular rating if Online Quick is unavailable
Only appropriate for online quick tournaments

Configuration Display:

The registration search panel displays read-only database status labels showing your current rating configuration. See Register - Players Menu for complete details on database status label format and behavior.

When N/A federation is selected, the “Online” label is hidden from the registration search panel since online search is disabled.

FIDE Mode Options

When FIDE is selected, options are simplified:

Rating Import Settings (only):

Rating Type: Standard, Rapid, or Blitz
Missing rating strategy: Leave blank / Use alternate / Prompt (no “Special handling”)
Provisionally rated: Ignore all / Warn me / Accept without warning

No Online Search Settings section (FIDE does not support rating source or supplement date preferences).

Post-Event Ratings

Note: Post-event rating calculation settings have been moved to the Registration & Editing tab.

See the Registration & Editing tab for:

Formula for post-event ratings
Scholastic rating setup

Online Player Search - Using online search during registration
Register - Players Menu - Registration dialog overview
Files & Databases - Database configuration