The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is the governing chess organization within the United States and is one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 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, and didn't 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. Many elementary and middle schools in the United States have begun to formally embrace extra-curricular chess as a way to teach children logical thinking, patience, and self-discipline.

The USCF publishes the magazine Chess Life.

See also

• Presidents of the United States Chess Federation
• Executive Directors of the United States Chess Federation
• Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE)
• International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF)

External link

• Official USCF Website