Well, I will be attending my first ever OTB (USCF-rated) tournament on Oct 29. I'm excited.

But what do I need to know? What's the unspoken, unwritten etiquette of these things? How, exactly, does one offer a draw? What's this deal with delay clocks, and requesting a delay clock?

I've read the FIDE rules; the USCF rules are hard to find (which is to say, they must be purchased). I'm a bit in the dark here. I'm familiar with such things as the touch rule, but some of the finer points of clock-stopping, etc, I'm not so sure about.

Congrats cberman! I've just played my first 2 USCF rated games (2nd one was this evening). I had similar questions, this is what I've seen and what the tournament director told me:

Shake your opponent's hand before and after the game

Keep an accurate and legible scoresheet

If you touch a piece you must move it

No talking or other disturbances while the game is going. Silence your phone. When you've finished your game, go to another room to discuss. If you disagree with something your opponent did, stop the clocks and get the tournament director

To offer a draw, make your move, offer the draw then press the clock. To claim a draw by repetition, announce to your opponent that you are claiming a draw by repetition, press the clock but do not make a move. If your opponent disputes this an arbiter will check both your scoresheets. Note that constantly offering a draw when your opponent refuses is very bad form and constitutes a disturbance.

Delay clocks keep a few minutes back til the end. E.g. the tournament games in which I've played are G/90 but the clock is set to 85 minutes, with 5 minutes delay. This means that when the clock hits zero it will magically bring you back those 5 mins. In our tournaments all the clocks are set up this way

And most importantly ... ENJOY ! I've lost my first 2 games so far but am really enjoying myself

To add to NickYoung's

If you want to adjust a piece say "I adjust" or just "adjust" or if you want to get fancy the french "j'adoube" (just don't ask me to pronounce it), it may be written but at least unspoken is don't adjust pieces on your opponent's time (it's distracting).  Of course if you touch a piece even to adjust it without saying anything you must move it (or if it's an enemy piece you must capture it).

Also the correct order: move, offer draw, hit clock may be hard to remember if it seems arbitrary.  Just remember to offer the draw on your time (that's why you hit the clock right after offering).  Again this goes back to distracting your opponent while his clock is ticking.

If you offer a draw before you move, that's fine, but your opponent can ask to see your move first.  (Same if your opponent offers you a draw before moving, you can ask him to make his move first).

The delay that NickYoung5 describes I haven't heard of before.  Delay is much the same as you'd think of increment in online chess, such as 10/5.  Except with delay the extra seconds (usually 5 seconds) do not accumulate, instead each time the clock is pressed there is a delay before your clock starts ticking down.  This way if you have a won position with only 30 seconds left, you have enough time to mate (in fact you wont lose any time at all if all your moves are faster than 5 seconds in the case of 5 second delay).

It's pronounced Zha-doob.

The USCF Rules are online, too. 

Bring your own equipment if you have a tournament set and board, and a clock if you have one, even if it isn't a "delay" clock - the old analogs are still used all the time.  Pens to keep score, the scoresheets are usually provided or you can use your own scorebook if you keep one.  Depending on the time limits, you may want to bring some snacks along, but don't eat them at the board if it might disturb your opponents (a mint is fine, chips and dip is not).

Try to relax and have fun, but remember this is serious chess, you have come for a reason.  Don't move too quickly; try to "pace" yourself to the clock in a general way.  Once you decide on a move, look again - sit on your hands for a minute or two if you must, but remember you can't take it back once you move it.

After the game, ask the opponent if he would look over the game with you.  This is customary and most will do so happily - but adjourn to the room provided for this, or the lobby of the hotel or site, so you don't disturb the other games.  You can share ideas and perhaps make a friend.  After that, before you take a nap or meal break, take a few minutes to watch some of the top boards.

Above all, enjoy yourself and never forget it's a game.  A tough, intriguing, mystifying, complicated, and annoying game at times, but still a game.

Good luck! 

Try to do your best in every single move, enjoy and even make some friends if possible. Don't forget to share the result and a few games here in the forums too.

Wow, all these things to do. Just go to the playing venue, sit where they tell you to sit, say hi to your opponent, make your moves, push the clock and cash in the win.  GG.

Make sure that you get enough sleep the night before. It is very easy to get excited and then you get very little sleep and end up being groggy when you first start playing. Make sure that you arrive early so that you have time to get an understanding of where everything is and have some time to relax and get comfortable since you are bound to have some nervous energy.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice all!

I agree with just about everything that my fellow players have already said, and I welcome you to the exciting, agonizing, exhausting world of tournament play! There's really nothing like it, and if you ever get a chance to play in a big open tournament, it's even more fun.

However, don't be discouraged if your first results are a bit disappointing; that's not at all unusual. The new, intense atmosphere takes some getting used to. Because of nervous tension, you may find it harder to concentrate and you may find yourself getting mentally fatigued as the game goes along. This is normal. As you get used to the tournament atmosphere, these problems will go away. The problem that won't go away is that in every game you will be faced with a fellow chess lover who is usually a nice guy, but who is dedicating all his energy towards beating you! As I said, it's a lot more intense that any casual game. That's what makes it fun.