How Nigerian Players Can Get a FIDE Chess Rating

Your first official number starts with the right tournament

A FIDE rating is the international number used to measure a player’s results against other players in rated competition. For a Nigerian player, the route is straightforward but administrative: obtain a FIDE ID through the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), enter events that are explicitly FIDE-rated, and make sure the results are submitted correctly.

The key distinction is between an ID and a rating. An ID identifies you in FIDE’s database; the rating comes later, after eligible games and a sufficient performance. Playing online, in a club event or in a national tournament does not automatically put a player on the FIDE list.

What a FIDE rating actually measures

FIDE maintains separate lists for Standard, Rapid and Blitz chess. They are not interchangeable: a player can have one rating, two ratings or all three, depending on the rated competitions played. The rating is a statistical measure of performance, not a title, certificate or guarantee of playing strength.

For a new player, FIDE publishes an initial rating when it is based on at least five games against opponents who already have ratings. Those games can come from more than one tournament, provided the events fall within consecutive rating periods of no more than 26 months. The initial rating must be at least 1400.

The calculation uses the average rating of the rated opponents, two hypothetical 1800-rated opponents whose results are treated as draws, and a performance adjustment. The published initial rating is rounded to a whole number and cannot exceed 2200 under the current regulations.

The practical route for a Nigerian player

Start by contacting the NCF and asking for a FIDE ID. FIDE’s own guidance says a federation may ask for identification such as a national ID card or passport, and may require paid-up membership; the exact practice varies between federations.

Next, find a tournament prospectus that says clearly that the event will be rated by FIDE. The NCF describes itself as Nigeria’s official chess regulatory body, affiliated with FIDE, and says it sanctions tournaments and handles rating and ranking matters. Its website also provides an FIDE ID route and lists contact details, so it is the right place to verify an organiser or ask which events are on the federation’s approved calendar.

Before paying, ask the organiser three questions: which rating list is being used, whether you have been entered under the correct FIDE ID, and when the report will be submitted. If a result later appears to be missing, contact the federation’s Rating Officer.

Play at least five games against rated opponents, and score at least half a point for the Standard route described by FIDE’s Qualification Commission. A win or a draw is a result; a walkover is not. You can spread the games across events, but only eligible games in properly reported tournaments will help create the initial rating.

You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player.

José Raúl Capablanca, one of the greatest chess players ever

Which tournaments count?

The word “tournament” is not enough. A competition counts only if it has been registered for the appropriate FIDE list, uses the relevant time control and is reported through the federation.

A school competition, club league or weekend open may be excellent practice and still be unrated. Rapid and Blitz events are separate pathways, so a Rapid result will not create a Standard rating.

For Standard games, the permitted time depends on the ratings involved: FIDE’s current rules set minimum periods of 60, 90 or 120 minutes for all moves under different rating conditions. Games abandoned before both players make a move, including a pure forfeit, are not rated. In Rapid and Blitz, games with unequal time allocations are also excluded.

After the tournament, the Chief Arbiter sends a tournament report to the federation’s Rating Officer. The federation uploads it to FIDE’s rating server, and FIDE compiles monthly lists. A delay does not necessarily mean your result was rejected, but if a report is not submitted in time for the third list after the event ends, the regulations say that tournament will not be rated.

What it costs and how to check progress

There is no single worldwide “FIDE rating price” that every Nigerian player pays. FIDE’s rules make the federation responsible for registering events, submitting results and paying rating fees, while FIDE’s FAQ says ID and membership requirements vary by federation. In practice, budget for the event entry fee first, then confirm whether the organiser or NCF adds a membership, ID or administration charge.

Do not confuse a tournament entry fee with a rating fee. Some organisers may include their administrative costs in the entry price; others may require federation membership or a separate local payment. The NCF page checked for this guide promotes FIDE ID applications but does not publish a current universal amount, so ask for the exact naira figure and what it covers before transferring money.

Once your games have been submitted, search your name or FIDE ID in FIDE’s published rating list. Check the federation code, date of birth, rating type and list month. If the profile is wrong, FIDE directs players to their national federation for corrections rather than contacting the FIDE office first.

Remember that a rating can become inactive if you play no rated game for a year, but inactivity is not the same as losing your rating. Under the current Standard and Rapid/Blitz rules, a rating below 1400 is shown as unrated on the next list, after which the player is treated like a new unrated player.

Frequently asked questions

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