7 Tips for your next OTB tournament
Ladies and gentlemen, an OTB (short for Over The Board) tournament has its own thrill. Most of you who are reading this blog might play online or just for fun, but the most important thing to improve your chess is playing an OTB tournament. It has its own vibes, you get to know the chess community, and best of all, you try to attain a fide rating and make your name in the real world. However, if you are a regular or a novice, here are seven tips for your next otb tournament!
Table Of Contents
- Tactical Ploys
- Tactical Mistakes
- The Real Board
- At the Tournament
- Sleep
- Game Review
- Toxicity
Tactical ploys
All of the games you will lose in your online chess games will be because of tactical or strategical mistakes. Sometimes, you dont know what to do after the opening. My best suggestion for you is to keep your opening as simple as possible. Memorize one opening from white and one from black (for example queen's gambit and sicilian), and know all of their lines. Every opening has one mantra: Control the center, and develop the pieces as quick as possible. So dont learn complex book moves, play perfect moves that adhere to these principles.
Tactics
If you are struggling, then disconnect from virtual chess and turn off your internet. Take an old fashioned chess tactical books, and read it. Then you will be able to pick up tactics with as much speed as possible. Take at least two weeks and stop all virtual activities, and just do tactical positions. That will actually matter the most for your tournament.
The Real Board
If you spend a lot of time online playing, then it will be really hard for you to cope with a real chess board. Try to test your vision on a real chess board, so that you don't feel weirded out when you play on a real chess board.
At the tournament
When you are at the tournament and you get paired against a player, try to prepare against the player. If you don't know the player beforehand, try to find an online chess database or chess.com and see what openings they have played the most. Also, don't try to play fancy openings you've never played before or have no experience, then try to play what you play best. Whether it be a basic opening, play to your strengths.
Sleep
Try to get as much sleep as possible before a chess games, and its very important to have a good night's rest before a match. If you are fully fresh and fit you will be able to think clearly and play on the board more confidently. Also, very important, do not consume any sugar and caffeine during a tournament. This will cause a spike in your energy and make you extremely jittery. Its also not very good for the brain, try to consume dry fruits like walnuts and almonds, as they are great for your brain. Try to sleep 9 hours per day before a chess tournament. You will feel 10 years younger. if you are 10 years, then...
Game Review
How much time should you invest in analyzing your games? In general try to invest as much time in your games and not too much in the analysis. For example, if you are playing in a classical tournament you will tire yourself out. But you should do a game review, but it should be quick or precise. One thing you should note are opening mistakes and middlegame blunders, Say to yourself you will never make this mistake again and that's fine. You can check best moves out of curiosity but move one as quick as possible. Just move on.
Toxicity
Last but not least, mindset. Do not try to be a perfectionist, and most important of all, do not set high expectations for yourself. That is peak toxicity. If you aim for for example 7 out of 7 games, if you do not manage that achievement, you will become toxic. Do not be afraid of failure, it will happen despite the blunders. Chess is a mind game, so its very important to keep yourself with a healthy mindset and shedding the pressure of results.
Thanks for tuning in today, and tune in next time for another blog.
