One of the biggest phenomena we face in chess (bigger than these guys even:http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4761525/112010-main_Full.jpg) is the lack of over the board(OTB) venues. Internet chess was the answer to that, allowing you to play chess whemever you want. But what about rated chess? Why do most people have to cross miles and miles of road (or ocean) to get in some rated otb chess? Not even the capital of the United States of frickin America has weekly tournaments that you could run off to... Why is chess so far away? Shouldn't it be in some city in every country? It's always concentrated in one place but NEVER spreads. The last time "chess moved" was when the USCF hq was relocated. Who knows when FIDE will change anything around... Why isn't chess everywhere? For a 500+ year old game, it doesn't catch on very well...

It doesn't catch on very well? You must have missed the 714,000+ members here and the good 1-5 million(pushing I know) who don't play chess here, but do play it elsewhere.

Even in Adelaide, Australia, there are PLENTY of otb meets to get to that are rated.   You mustn't be looking hard enough :Þ

I think most places do have frequent OTB play, the problem is that you end up playing a pool of the same 20 people over and over. I have been to three local tournaments in my area, and can already name a good portion of the field by name, and tell you what openings many of them will play.

In my club, we have rated tournaments four or five times a year, but if you and someone else wish to play an official rated game, the registered TD's will be more than happy to accomidate any time you like.

There's a solution:  Hold a tournament. 

Keep in mind that all you need to be a tournament director for the USCF is a sponsoring affiliate, and an e-mail sent to the USCF.  There are almost certainly affiliates in your area, and if there really are no tournaments, one of them will be willing to sponsor you.   I became a tournament director without ever having played in a Chess tournament.

It can be difficult to find a room to play that you can afford.  If you aren't willing to take a chance on losing a couple of hundred bucks, you have to make an accurate guess at how many people will really show up.  Then, look for willing churches, community centers, and public libraries.  You might find a local college and see if there's a gaming group.  Sometimes the colleges give registered student organizations free or low cost event space.  There might be a Chess club, but as odd as it may seem, I've had better luck with gaming clubs.  Draw your own conclusions. 

At any rate, there are lots of tips and tricks I could ramble on about, but the basic thing is that it's really easy to deal with Chess tournaments.  You need tables, and if you play through the lunch hour there has to be nearby food.  Not every tournament is some gala affair that charges 50 bucks and offers 1000 dollars in cash prizes.  My first tournament consisted of renting a room that would hold 60 at a local college.  38 players showed up.  I charged ten bucks and just barely broke even on the cost of a room, the trophies, and 10 bucks for an ad in Chess Life.

this is a ridiculous post. chess is one of the most popular board games in the world. use your eyes and you might notice that.

In Houston, there is a Meet Up group that meets once a month and plays board chess in a relaxed atmosphere. I'm also sure they would know of tournaments. Look and see if you have meet up groups in your area!

Check the USCF website, clubs. There are 3 in the DC area, registered. Probably there are more ...

Where I'm from in central Illinois, there are not too many places to play OTB. There's supposedly a chess club at my college but I can't find any information on it. Luckily there's a church nearby with a small (minimum of three players, maximum of fifteen) chess club that meets every Thursday for about three hours. 

Recently there was a sign posted up around campus here saying "Chess Tournaments 2's and Up", but that's all it said (plus a few clip art pictures of a pawn and queen). No other information was given and I, for one, have no idea what 2's and Up could mean ("Up" was an arrow pointing up and circled). I wrote on it with a pen asking "When? Where?" but the sign was then taken down the next day. So I've made no progress on that unfortunately.

I hope there will be more chess opportunities around my area. Until there, I just prepare for it.

check2008

Look at the USCF website, there are many clubs in Illinois. Unfortuately I don't know which of the many cities are in central Illinois. uscf.org, then clubs and tourneys

Meadmaker -

There's a solution:  Hold a tournament. 

Keep in mind that all you need to be a tournament director for the USCF is a sponsoring affiliate, and an e-mail sent to the USCF.  There are almost certainly affiliates in your area, and if there really are no tournaments, one of them will be willing to sponsor you.   I became a tournament director without ever having played in a Chess tournament.

 I am studying for my director status now actually so I can start my own tournaments. Finding a venue is something else...

@BigDaddy1515 - this is a ridiculous post. chess is one of the most popular board games in the world. use your eyes and you might notice that.

That statement is so flawed... First off, the popularity of chess is not equal throughout the world and certainly not in the U.S. There is a huge disparity between New York City and North Dakota for example. Chess in the U.S. seems to be scattered about in pockets throughout the country. You're unlikely to attend many national events or clubs without making it a road trip...

D.C. in particular has had horrible dealings in chess when it popped up. Here is one example: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/08/AR2007110802497.html?hpid=topnews

I wasn't even playing chess when this happened... Luckily I only attended some of the better schools around but I'd rather not even go there...

Even Larry Kauffman himself has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland which is very close to DC and this is not common knowledge in our city. Chess is not common in our city...

Mnag - Check the USCF website, clubs. There are 3 in the DC area, registered. Probably there are more ...

All of the clubs in my area are scholastic. I am "collegiate" therefore I am not eligable and the college I will attend does not have a chess team. Now of course I can try to get a team started but that is tough to do.

You have to go through many authorities just to get the idea looked at and that takes a lot of time. A lot... And I will be attending for one year and will be transfering to another school aterwards.

It would be nice though. Kind of like that movie "The Replacements;"

AnthonyCG

The Metro Chess Club doesn't look like a scholastic club and I find the many chess players at clubs know of other clubs in the area. However, if the Metro Chess club isn't in your area its not much of a help.

Thanks for taking a look. It's definetly scholastic as seen here: http://www.chessctr.org/macl.php

A good idea for DC players otherwise. There is one national event there at the end of the month so I'm more or less forced to move it or lose it.

I have 3 chess clubs within 10 miles of me. 2 play leagues and casual, and the third hosts several Quads and tourneys a month, with the highest quad featuring national masters. i believe Fischer also played there. Yea so I'm good

No studying to do really, though it doesn't hurt. Just need to be a USCF member, have the newest rulebook (5th edition), read the book and fill out the Club TD form and send it in. You will also need to have an Affiliate sponsor the tournament but if you really can't find one then it only costs $40 a year to run your own. There are limits to the size of the tournament you can run as a Club TD but you can run them.

Other than chess clubs, I can't find OTB in my area