Online Player Search
Search for players online using USCF or FIDE websites during registration. No database download required—just need internet access.
When to Use Online Search
Use online search when:
- You have stable internet at the tournament
- You need the absolute latest ratings
- Small tournament (under 50 players)
- Don’t want to download databases
Use downloaded databases instead when:
- Large tournament (100+ players)
- Internet is unreliable
- Need to work offline
- Want faster lookups
See Database Overview for database download options.
Verifying Your Search Configuration
Before using online search, verify your rating configuration is correct. The registration search panel displays database status labels showing your current settings.
Database Status Labels:
The registration search panel displays read-only labels showing your current rating configuration:
- Loca:
Loca: [Fed] [Type] (Date)- Local database status and configuration - Online:
Online: [Fed] [Type] (Month Year - Preference)- Online search federation and settings - Active indicator (▶): Marks the most recently used search method
Note: When N/A federation is configured, the “Online” label is hidden since online search is disabled for federations other than USCF/FIDE.
See Register - Players Menu for complete details on database status labels and federation-specific behavior.
To configure rating search:
Go to Options > Environment options… > Ratings tab and click Rating Search… button.
The Rating Search dialog shows all available options for your selected federation. See Ratings Tab - Environment Options for complete configuration details.
Searching USCF Players
Open Registration
Go to Players > Register players
Select Search Online Tab
Click the Search Online tab.
Choose USCF
Select USCF from the federation dropdown.
Enter Search Criteria
By Name: Type last name (e.g., “Smith, John”) By ID: Type 8-digit USCF ID (e.g., “12345678”)
Search and Load
Click Search or press Enter. Select the correct player from results and click Load.
What Gets Loaded
When you load a USCF player:
- Primary Rating: Regular, Quick, or Blitz (based on your tournament type)
- USCF ID and FIDE ID (if player has one)
- Membership expiration date
- State and Title (if any)
Searching FIDE Players
Open Registration
Go to Players > Register players
Select Search Online Tab
Click the Search Online tab.
Choose FIDE
Select FIDE from the federation dropdown.
Enter Search Criteria
By Name: Type last name, first name (e.g., “Carlsen, Magnus”) By FIDE ID: Type 7-8 digit FIDE ID (e.g., “1503014”)
International Names: Be careful with spelling. FIDE uses Latin alphabet transliterations.
Search and Load
Click Search or press Enter. Select the correct player and click Load.
What Gets Loaded
When you load a FIDE player:
- Primary Rating: Standard, Rapid, or Blitz (based on tournament type)
- FIDE ID and Federation (country code like USA, GER, RUS)
- Title (GM, IM, WGM, etc.)
- Birth year
USCF Rating Source Options
USCF offers two rating sources configured via the Rating Search dialog:
| Rating Source | Update Frequency | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Published Rating | Monthly (default) | Most tournaments |
| Live Rating | Real-time | Player played very recently |
Published ratings are the officially released monthly ratings from USCF. Live ratings include results from recently-played but not-yet-published tournaments.
Live ratings are not recommended for most over-the-board tournaments. Ratings can change between registration and tournament start, potentially affecting section eligibility. Verify your tournament rules allow live ratings before using this option.
Configuring Rating Source
Open Rating Search Dialog
Go to Options > Environment options… > Ratings tab and click Rating Search… button.
Select USCF Federation
Ensure USCF is selected in the Federation section.
Choose Rating Source
In the Online Search Settings section, select your preferred Rating Source:
- Published - Monthly published ratings (recommended)
- Live - Tournament history with post-rerate
Configure Other Options
Set Supplement Date, Rating Type, and other preferences as needed for your tournament.
Save Configuration
Click OK to save your rating search preferences.
The database status labels in the registration search panel will immediately reflect your new configuration.
Online vs. OTB Tournaments
For online chess tournaments, USCF provides separate online ratings (Online Regular, Online Quick, Online Blitz) distinct from over-the-board (OTB) ratings.
Configuring for Online Tournaments:
Open Rating Search Dialog
Go to Options > Environment options… > Ratings tab and click Rating Search… button.
Enable Online Event
In the Online Search Settings section, check “Online event”
Select Rating Type
Choose the appropriate Rating Type for your tournament:
- Regular for online standard games
- Quick for online quick games
- Blitz for online blitz games
Save Configuration
Click OK to save your preferences.
Rating Loading Behavior:
- Online event enabled: Loads Online Regular/Quick/Blitz ratings
- Online event disabled: Loads OTB Regular/Quick/Blitz ratings
The “Online event” setting is tournament-specific and persists with your tournament file.
Troubleshooting
”Cannot connect to server”
Solutions:
- Check your internet connection
- Try accessing uscfchess.org or fide.com in a browser
- Check firewall settings (allow SwissSys internet access)
- Wait and retry (server may be temporarily busy)
“Player not found”
Common causes:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Name misspelled | Verify spelling with player |
| Wrong federation | Try the other federation |
| Player not a member | They need to join USCF/FIDE |
| Incorrect ID | Double-check ID number |
Too many results
When searching common names:
- Add first name: “Smith, John” not just “Smith”
- Include middle initial if needed
- Use ID number instead
- Ask player for their rating/state to narrow results
Search is very slow
If online search is too slow:
- Check internet speed (may be too slow)
- Download a database instead (much faster for large tournaments)
- Use wired connection instead of WiFi
- Try during off-peak hours
Best Practices
Before tournament:
- Test online search to verify internet works
- Download database as backup
- Collect player IDs in advance
During tournament:
- Use ID search when possible (faster)
- Have database ready if internet fails
- Verify membership expiration dates
For large tournaments:
- Download database instead of using online search
- Use online search only for late arrivals
See Also
- Database Overview - Download databases for offline use
- Downloading USCF Database - Alternative to online search
- Downloading FIDE Database - Alternative to online search
- Register - Players Menu - Registration dialog reference
- Importing Players Overview - All import methods