On 8th May the school district Chess competition starts, and our school will be versing top schools from Australia. I will be playing board 1 or 2 and i am really nervous i dont how to mentally prepare myself as this is the first chess tournament i am entering.I am really scared of blundering and i dont have much self-confidence. I have a standard repertoire of chess openings and i know their book moves, but i dont know what to do if the opponent plays unorthodox openings or something i have never played.

How can i prepare myself before games?

How can i stop being nervous?

How can i avoid blunders?

What do i do if the game leads to a queer position never seen before?

I just wanna advice u, just follow tushu bhai's 30 tips n don't be hurry, think 3 times be4 submitting ur move(s). Wish u good luck n all TB members are waiting 2 hear a tremedous result from ur part.

Good question. At your age (or any age), just enjoy the experience ! :-)

My tip is not to eat a large meal between rounds !

I agree that you should not eat a big meal but I suggest that you make sure you drink fluids. I became dehydrated in my first tournament which I never would have expected.

Bring something non-chess related to relax with before and between rounds (book, gameboy, ipod, whatever).

its a good idea to have some juice with you.

make sure to calculate clearly

don't lose spirit

and most of all you need to question the quality of your moves before you make them ( try to predict your opponents reply accurately ).

If this is the 1st chess touney ur gonna attend its unavoidable to be nervous... Well it was for me. Good luck anyway

Put one captured piece behind the clock.

How to prepare. Just play and analyze some games with annotations, of your favorite openings playing black or white.  This will remind you of the thought process of grandmasters.  Sleep early.  Take a bath and with wear freash and neat clothes, eat a hearty meal before going to the tournament, and do not forget to drink your vitamins.  Bring some oat meal crackers and real bottled fruit juices during the game.  You will need these.  An empty stomach is an empty brain. 

During the game.  Before making a move.  Look at the four corners of the board, to check for pieces with long range effectiveness, like bishops, rooks and queen.   Write down your move, take a deep breath, look again, and when sure it is not a blunder, move rapidly with confidence and hit the clock hard almost instantly.  This helps induce your opponent to move rapidly too, without much thinking. If you make a bad move do not show your disgust.  This will encourage your opponent to look for your mistake.  Remember, to make your opponent believe that all your moves are brilliant.  Make those moves with confidence.

After the game.  If you lose.  forget the outcome.  Remember, there is no such thing as an undefeated chess player.  Even the greatest chess player lost to the mediocre.  This is a game of averages.  Just do the same routine and be ready for the next game.  If you win be humble and not be over confident.  Just do the same routine, like a robot and without emotions.

When I was young I have won a lot of tournaments by following this formula.  Its a pity, I abandoned my dreams of becoming a grandmaster.  Now that I am retired and 63 years old, can hardly concentrate and remember all the ropes of the came.   Hope it will work for you.

Try to think there´s nothing to lose: if you´ve lost, the world is still existing!

I know it´s difficult, learned form experience...

Good luck!

just keep a decent guard at your f7 , f2  squares and that is easily achieved by a Nf6 or Nf3 or what ever that position allows.

if your opponent plays unorthothox u can either grap control of  the center by pieces or pawns and win the game like that , or calculate a refutation if u feel you are up for it at the game .

don`t play the person if you are easily intimidated , but play the position on the board because no matter how scary looking he or she is  they can not force u to take back your winning moves !

just stay calm, check your moves, double check your moves, triple check your moves, and then move.

I played in my first tournament last week (and got squashed) but here are some tips.

First of all, you are a chess god. Get it in your head now. In any competitive endeavor, confidence is a huge plus. Do whatever you have to do to get psyched up and in a proper frame of mind. Play a kickin rock song in the parking lot, whatever. When you get in the site, your opponents are beneath you. Don't sweat them, they don't matter.

And at the end of the day, its just chess. Take your time (I had way more than I am used to) and always ask "What is my opponent doing?" after each move.

 

Anyway, good luck!

Take all toilet breaks at the table that will save you from losing any time on your clock. 

A well placed stool is enough to put even the most resolute of players off their game.  Keep them off the board though this isn't football! (Soccah - for you yanks out there)

Just be yourself once tou are on the board.

Also maintain your focus on the game to avoid blunder.

Make sure you touch the right piece for your move to avoid mistakes and lose your defense or attack.

Lastly just tell to yourself 'I can do it'

 

Anyway good luck

Win!

Sit on your hands. The tourney will probably have the "touch rule" in effect where you have to move a piece once you touch it.

If it's a position with which you are unfamiliar, look for opportunities and threats. Does your king have enough protection? Does your opponents? Are their any unprotected pieces on the board?

I posted a similar topic at http://www.chess.com/forum/view/tournaments/first-tournament. You may be interested in some of the comments there.

I'm probably not the best person to give advice, just wishing you good luck. By the way, since I assume you are playing with a chess clock, what will the timing be?

if someone makes you nervous just ignore them and try not to hestiate

How can Iprepare myself before games./Try to find out your opponents style of play beforehand.