Tempe Open (Feb 2013)

This was my first ever Official Rated Tournament (sorry, but chess.com is not an official rated). For those not involved enough, I'm refering to Over The Board (OTB) Tournaments. For those who have not gotten to know me, or read through my profile, I am a newly trained Chess Coach with Chess Emporium, and no, one does not need be an Expert player to coach. 

This tournament run by Chess Emporium, open to all ages, in the Tempe, AZ, office, takes place one Sat a month, typically a 4 round tournament, with Game in 60, no delay, time controls, per round. Being my 1st OTB, Official tourney, my first game was my first ever official rated game, in all my 18 years of playing chess. It's a whole new world, for those who havn't stepped to that level!

Game 1;

That was an exciting game, being my first officially rated OTB game. Also, because that opponent of mine was a new hire coach at the same time as I. So we knew eachother already. 
But Round 2 was vs a young lady, not older than 16, so a teenager, but her rating was about what mine was. I actually got real nervous, before the game, but told myself to stay focused, and not make mistakes. 

Game 2;

So my official career of playing chess has started 2-0. Although playing a strong rated teenage girl, whom I was nervous to play at first, my next opponent was much more skilled, yet still a teenager. This was our 1st of now 2 rated games we've played, and I was the one exposed making a mistake this time.

Game 3;

So... now I was, rather, upset at myself. I knew I could play better than that. IDK what I was thinking letting him take my bishop early on, freely! The whole game rested on that mistake, and there really was no coming back. Very skilled young man, will go far in chess, if he chooses. I actually see him again, at another Tempe Open. Turns out, he's also here on chess.com, but I'll let him reveal himself. 

My last game of my first tournament, was another young gal. This game started, and was over, before anyone fully developed, or could even blink. In some ways, I felt bad afterwards, however, after my loss to Ben, I saw a quick way out of this one, and took it. She made made a game ending mistake, and I talked to her after, showing her better moves. 

Game 4;

And that completes my FIRST official Rated tournament, which I tied with one other player with 3-1 record, for second... non other, than Ben H, my Round 3 opponent. So of course, he got the tie break 2d place, trophy, I actually got a 3rd place trophy.