First Tournament Advice?

Running Chess Tournaments
1

I am playing in my first OTB tournament in about a week and wondered if anyone has any advice they took away from their first tournament? The tournament is the 2010 G/15 National in Illinois and I’m pretty excited and nervous at the same time.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

Greg

2

Go to the bathroom before every game.

3

Hmm… here’s what I’ve learned in six months or so of tournament play (and being a TD a little longer than that):

I’m not as good as I thought I was. (Which, from what I’ve read and understood, is pretty common - most of us think we’re better than our rating would indicate. Sometimes that’s true, but your play and rating will bear that out eventually if so.)

While I play the best chess I can, I’ve learned to not panic about my results at any point. I’ve had zero point tourneys - my first one, for example - which also meant I had to learn that doesn’t mean I can never win. (The reverse can also be true, but I’ve never seen a new player have a hangup because they win.)

Corollary: Some might disagree, but I’ve found tournament play has a different flavor to it. It just has a different feel - a different kind of chess. It is hard to quantify. The closest analogy I can think of is the difference of playing poker for ‘play money’ chips versus playing with real cash. But the first tournaments I witnessed, I noticed the subtle differences.

While I find new things in my tournament games and am creative in finding how to win, a tournament is not the place for trying wild innovations thinking that it will throw my opponent for a loop. (If you’ve only ever played 1. e4 as White, your first tournament is not the place to sally 1. d4. Or 1. a3. :wink: I think it was Dan Heisman who wrote up the idea.)

Carry spare batteries for your clock. (The reason I know this I shareth not… :blush: :wink: ) In rules questions, it may be better to fetch the TD and ask him or her, rather than blindly trust what the opponent says the rule is.

Most of all, I try to find the mode that will help me to best enjoy my chess. If that means being excited and a little nervous about it, go for it! If that doesn’t help you enjoy your chess, do your best to calm down and relax a little. And if you learn the knack of that please let me know how to do that, as I still feel the same way before Round 1. :smiley: But you never again get a first rated tournament, so do that which you need to in order to enjoy it the most!

Good luck!

4

Don’t be surprised or embarassed if you get beat up by little kids.

(On the board, that is. :slight_smile: )

5

So what ever happened with that tournament you said you didnt play in?

6

It was removed from my ratings, so I’m going to the June 19th tourney all fresh and unrated. Don’t exactly know what happened, but probably just a mix up of USCF I.Ds. There’s quite a few Gregory Thompson’s as it happens.

7

Here’s some suggestions:

  • Don’t be surprised/upset if you lose most or even all your games. You’ll be nervous and not playing your best, and also there are a lot of good players out there!
  • Don’t worry about ratings either, your initial ratings are provisional, and will rapidly adjust to your level as you play in more tournaments.
  • If there is time between rounds, you can always ask your opponent to go over the game with you. This can be very instructive and most players are friendly and glad to do this.
  • Have fun!

Jim

8

An entire game in only 15 minutes? Speed chess?

9

Carry a lunch, because you never know how much time you will get, and whether there will be suitable food and drink close by that you can grab quickly.