Generations of Welsh players have kissed the ceremonial sheep before tournaments without realising that it is actually just a superstition not a requirement.  I know. I've checked the WCF rulebook - it's not in there.  I could hardly believe it either.

I have three minor foibles during sanctioned tournament games that could be described as superstitious:

1. When I move my pieces I give them a quarter turn for each point of their value (clockwise when I play white anti-clockwise when black).  A quarter turn for pawns; a three-quarter turn for minor pieces; a turn and a quarter for rooks and two and a quarter for the queen.  I don't ever turn the King that would be very unlucky.
2. Between each move I make I must touch each vacant white square on the board with my left index finger (right index for the vacant black squares).  I never move until this has been completed - this can be quite a challenge in a time pressured end-game!
3. When I take my opponents pieces I like to keep them in my mouth.

Do any of the other players out there have any small superstitious rituals that they use to bring them luck in their games?

1. Never look at your opponent, especially not at his/her face, try not to look at the body. If you are right handed, place your left palm at a 90 degree angle to your forhead, thus shielding your eyes.

2. Mumble all the variations you are considering, but very silently.

3. The tip of your pen/pencil MUST point toward your opponent's head.

4. Whenever you capture a piece, put it in your pocket, never on the table.

5. Pretend you don't understand a word of English, especially if approached by an arbiter.

Before very move touch each of your opponents pieces, saying "J'adoube, J'adoube, J'adoube...etc." 

I knew baseball players and sailors were very superstitious, but chess players being so is new to me.  This is going to be an interesting thread.

I do not think I am superstitious about any thing.  

What do you do if you are playing with extra large pieces, such as, yard or patio sets when you want to keep them in  your mouth.  You are joking, right?

I do not want anything or anyone controlling me, and all of those "must-not-dos" in that list would be control to me.  I supposed that is why I am not superstitious.  

Now that is superstitious!  

I find I can get under their skin better by screaming the Freddie Flintstone phrase "J'adoubey-doubey-doo" each time I adjust their pieces.

"3. When I take my opponents pieces I like to keep them in my mouth"

you must either have a very large mouth or not take very many pieces.  i wonder if your opponent can use it to their advantage by sacing a bunch of pawns in the beginning then when your mouth is full they wont have to worry about losing another piece. 

C'mon who can't get a full set of Staunton competition pieces in their cake-holes?

Especially you Yanks renowned for having enormously capacious gobs. 

here i thought that was more for the words that come out than what stays in. 

You are controlled by your need to not be controlled then...?

I wish you hadn't told me that.  Now I won't be able to go to sleep tonight.  

I'm learning a lot from reading these forums, because I never knew we Yanks were known for that.

I like to play baseaball.

Big-head, big-mouth and big-pants that's a Yank all over that and the fat ears.

It's obvious you have not met all of the Yanks.  Every country has its share of such people.  I have never been to Wales, but I would like to go there sometime.  No doubt there are people that have such opinions of your countrymen and all countries.  But saying such things from experience is another thing, because it is impossible to meet everyone in any given country. 

It is sort of like saying that all chess players are weird.  

Perfect analogy. Sure, it's an unfair generalization, but it's still true.

i may print this on t-shirts.