Practice using a clock. In OTB black choses the placement of the clock. You must use the same hand to use clock as you use to handle pieces. It sounds simple, but you have to depend on habit. Also, scoring. The score sheet is the property of the tournement. Practice recording moves. Get a rule book. Be up on the rules. And, absolutely: "touch move". This may all sound easy, but in a game it is very easy to get confused. Everything depends on good habits.
1. Don't be afraid to go to the bathroom if you need to.--Professionals might be accused of cheating if they go too often, but I seriously doubt that would be a problem for you.
2. Don't be intimidated by anything: higher rated player, winning, losing, time control, or a fancy clock.---I played a younger kid the other day in a 2-round tourny. He had just drawn his previous game and now had to play me (highest rated in tourny that day). We were using my heat-sensor chronos, and that made him nervous in addition to the fact that im 6 years his senior. So nervous that on the 12th move he droped his queen for a pawn. Needless to say the game ended quickly.
3. Eat well before hand.---Don't stuff yourself, but make sure you have some good protien in your body, your going to need all the energy you can get (make sure the energy isn't from high sugar foods or candy)
4. Manage what you drink.---Drink well and drink often, just make sure its water, powerade, or something to that equivolent: no pop, no energy drinks, no cofee, no sugar drinks. I cannot emphasise this enough, if you get dehyrdated (even just a little) your playing will suffer. This becomes even more true during longer time control games.
5. Have fun.---Sure you want to win, but if thats all it was about you could set fritz at 400 at home and have at it. Enjoy yourself, get to know some of the people there.
Originally posted by endgamerwell thats something I would not recommend following. Drink coffee, drink coca-cola. You need sugar and caffeine.
4. Manage what you drink.---Drink well and drink often, just make sure its water, powerade, or something to that equivolent: no pop, no energy drinks, no cofee, no sugar drinks. I cannot emphasise this enough, if you get dehyrdated (even just a little) your playing will suffer. This becomes even more true during longer time control games.
Originally posted by SquelchbelchHi, I just started to play OTB Tournaments since May. I've been playing online all these years and my last OTB experience is about 15 years ago. So I would say my experience might be helpful to you.
Anyone here who plays chess regularly at their local clubs, I'd appreciate some basic tips on how to approach OTB play as opposed to C.C.
I used to play OTB in a local juniors club, but that was over 20 years ago! Since then it's been the odd game against mates & games here.
I'm planning on joining my local club when play starts in September & I'll ...[text shortened]... I expect when I play at club level & how should I best prepare?
Thanks in advance
🙂
Right now I already played 12 OTB games and my recent Canadian Chess Federation rating is 1783 (probational). This rating could change dramatically though, since my "performance rating" varied a lot, from 1500- in one tournament to 2100+ in another🙂
To me, playing OTB is quite different than playing online. Basically you feel much more "serious" about every single game (except for occasional unrated fast "casual" OTB games). Also, the standard OTB time control (90 30 or 120 30) is better than most online games. It would give you more time to think, though you'd better be careful not to over-estimate the time you actually have, otherwise you might be in time trouble later in the game.
Generally speaking, OTB players are stronger than you think they are according to your past online rating experence. I can generally beat a 1600 player online, but in OTB games I must use all my strength to fight for a win. It's because in OTB games your opponent has much more time & concentartion/determination on the game and your normal winning "tricks" would be much easier to be detected & prevented. On the other hand, in OTB tournaments you cannot "pick" your opponents as you do online, so you MUST face some players 200 or 300 rating lower than you from time to time. In order to improve your rating, you cannot affort drawing too much these games, but as I said before, it's harder to secure a win from lower rated players in OTB games than online (almost all OTB opponent resisted to the end). I myself had some frustarting experience in tournaments. On the other hand, sometimes higher ranked players might lose to you as well if you play them with real determination. It seems it's much more important in OTB play to find a way to "exploit" weakness from players rated lower than you. You cannot keep up your rating without this skill even if you are a good match for stronger players
OTB games are also more exhausting so you need more energy. of my 12 OTB games by now, I lost only 2 games, I lost them in a single day in a tournament. The reason? I didn't sleep well the night before and just blundered like hell.So if you really want to play well in tournaments, you must make sure you have a good shape, otherwise you are doomed. I noticed in "one game per week" club tournaments, my performance is much better and I simply feel much stronger when I got enough rest.
Ignor that last post. Be annoying as much as possible without being rude. Over the board is high percentage psychological. That is the edge for seasoned players. They find ways to get under your skin. And, never underestimate opponents. There are a lot of sandbaggers out there, especially in tournements.
I wasn't going to announce "check" but I'd be pretty quick to point it out if my opponent didn't realise they were in check.
I don't really want to annoy everyone at my local club as I think that could be counter-productive!
I understand what TomBaby & Deep Thought say about player strengths. I think you can add at least 100-150 points to someone's OTB elo rating if they play online with longer time controls, a DB, access to books & analyse board function.
Thus I'll probably be equivalent to 1400 or so OTB!
A lot of the good advice here is for tournament play. When you get to the club simply tell them you play on line a lot and they'll help you out. Looking at the ratings for the club you posted I don't think you'll be the weakest player and from among the stronger players there are likely to be some who will be happy to help you with your game. You may also meet some players from RHP.
Social games at the club can be with or without clocks at any time setting you agree. It's just a social game. You may find some curmudgeonly old boys who get in a huff and bang the pieces down if you're beating them - so just allow yourself to be amused if this happens. The atmosphere is most quiet and studious on match nights and otherwise more informal. That's if what happens at my club in Ealing is anything to go by.
When it comes to playing for the club in a match you'll have a captain who will give you all the advice and support you need. The time controls for these games are likely to be either all the moves in 75 mins or the slow play times which is something like an hour per 25 moves. Maybe someone else can post this more exactly but the slow play allows for an adjournment with all the fun of sealing a move! Again, your captain will explain all.
In the club match games I've played it has been left to the individual players to decide between these two options (all moves in 75 mins or slow play) but if one of the players wants the slow play then this is given. The youngsters will usually opt for the quick kill. And speaking of youngsters - you've been warned - age is no indication of playing strength.
Anyway so long as you can remember to turn your phone off everything should be fine.
Originally posted by MahoutThankyou.
A lot of the good advice here is for tournament play. When you get to the club simply tell them you play on line a lot and they'll help you out. Looking at the ratings for the club you posted I don't think you'll be the weakest player and from among the stronger players there are likely to be some who will be happy to help you with your game. You may also ...[text shortened]...
Anyway so long as you can remember to turn your phone off everything should be fine.
That's good advice.
🙂
i like the fact that i'm young and older men look at me like they are going to wipe the floor with me. after i have won a piece they look at me in horror. tips survey the whole board every move. if they move a bishop or queen look at the whole diagional to see what is in prize. when knights move look at the opposite colors from where it landed and see what it attacks. when playing better players i look at their eyes looking where they are surveying the board. btw have you ever looked at a great players eyes their eyes are nonestop looking everywhere! i don't know what my eyes look like when i'm playing chess but i do seem to look everywhere and calculate everything over the board.
Originally posted by RahimKYes, that may be sound advice once I know a players strengths & weaknesses...
Play the man, not the board.
It's very hard to tell if someone values their knights over bishops simply from the way they walk or fondle their cuff-links!
Until you know what a players' idiosyncrasies are, surely you have to play the board.
😛