(updated 10/20/07 )
Award-winning Novice Nook Columns on Chess Improvement
See also the Novice Nook on Welcome To OTB Chess
So you are going to a live chess tournament! Congratulations! - it will be fun. Here are some tips to enhance your experience (you can find playing tips here):
How to Select Your Section. These days, many larger events are separated into sections, usually by rating. For example, a tournament with 3 sections might have “Open”, “Under-1800”, and “Under-1400”. If you are new to tournament chess, you probably want to play in the lowest section possible until you know you are strong enough to play in a higher one. There is one exception. Most unrated adults usually have a playing strength between 900-1400, but sometimes there are sections that are primarily meant for younger players. For example, if a tournament has the same three sections as above but also a fourth “Under-900” section, the U-900 is probably designed for kids, and so adult playing in his first event should choose the next-to-lowest section and play in the Under-1400. Of course if an section is labeled “scholastic” then it is only for K-12 and that will not be an issue!
For USCF Members
If joining USCF for the first time and registering by mail, make sure to include (in addition to the above):
Find
your first round pairing
after the pairing sheet is posted, just before the time of the first round.
Your board number will be on the extreme left. The left-most name will
play White and the name on the right will play Black. Play will start
when the TD says to start the clocks, usually about the time posted for the
round (sometimes the first round is a little late if a mob showed up to
register just before registration closed).
After the first round starts, the Tournament Director will post a "Wall Chart" with your name, USCF ID, and rating. Double-check these to make sure they are correct - if not, notify the TD immediately. At one tournament one player told me AFTER I GAVE OUT THE TROPHIES that his rating was incorrect and he should have won a trophy. He had two days to tell me, and his rating had been posted the entire time, but he waited until after the tournament was over. Too late. Please let the TD know ASAP...
Bring a small snack to eat during long games - most tournaments allow players to eat quietly (no chips!) during a game, and it is important not to get too hungry. Tournaments usually supply water.
During the game, if there is any question at all, please GET THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. I have seen dozens of cases where even experienced tournament players "decide" how to solve a problem incorrectly, always to the detriment of one of the players. When in doubt - stop your clock and get the tournament director.
Etiquette: Before the game, introduce yourself to your opponent to make sure you are playing the correct person. Shake hands before Black starts the clock to start the game. During the game, limit talking to comments such as "Would you like a draw?" or "That is an illegal move", or "You touched that piece, you have to move it". You may say "check", but it is not necessary, and against strong opponents it is considered an insult (they know it is check). If you are in a hopeless position, resign by saying "I resign" or purposely turning down your King; a handshake does not end the game, but shaking hands after the game is over is expected. If you need to adjust a piece that has fallen down or is not centered, do so on your time, but before you do, say "I adjust" or "J'adoube". If you have a problem keeping score, you can ask your opponent to borrow his scoresheet, but only when your time is running.
After the game, BOTH players, win or lose, must report their result by putting a "1" next to the winner and a "0" next to the loser (or 1/2 in the case of a draw) on the pairing sheet (the sheet that told you who you were playing and where). If the result is not reported, the TD may assume that the game was not played, it was a double-forfeit and that both players went home. Therefore, they may not be paired for the next round. This happens so often that you should really make an effort to either mark your game or check it is marked, especially if you lose.
If you lose, relax! It is only a game! Maybe your opponent would like to go over the game with you in the Skittles Room, and you can learn something so you will be a better player in future games. The best players cannot get too upset about losses, or they would never have been able to become really good. And don't go home! Chess tournaments are almost always swisses, never elimination, so you will play all the rounds unless you drop out. In a swiss you always play someone who is doing about as well as you are, so if you lose your first two games you play someone else who lost their first two games. Besides, half the fun of a tournament is hanging around with the other players between the rounds making new friends, talking chess, and going over chess games!
If you have to leave (whether you are coming back or not) and will miss a round (or more) or are withdrawing, please remind the pairing TD at the time you leave, and it is also a good idea to check in when you get back.
Before you leave, make sure you have all your equipment, and be sure to pick up any prizes you have won! Many players don't realize there is unrated prizes, etc., so you might even win a prize if you have lost all of your games!
Tell the tournament director what you liked about the tournament - he will appreciate both your effort and your comments!
It will take about 3-6 weeks before your rating is published at USCF's web site and possibly even longer before it becomes official. Until then you play as an "unrated" player.
Players who play in their first tournament usually learn quite a bit, and all good chess players at one point in their career played regular tournament chess. You may be extra nervous in your first few events, but after that (like most experiences) it will not seem so new or daunting.