You know more than me
How do I get started playing in tournaments?
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Also, I have no idea what I am doing
Sign up for the tournament, get there, pay the entry fee (and you might need to pay for a licence). Then play.
That should do it.
If it is classical chess, you need to record the moves, but I think that does not apply for blitz or rapid chess.
Might be a good idea to contact your local chess club and ask for further advise there.
Or just look up a tournament and call or email the organizers for info.
Thank you, that was very helpful.
Apr 28, 2022
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#6
For most tournaments, you'll have to join USCF (United States Chess Federation). Check out their website for info on the price for your age group. You'll need to have a regulation size board and Staunton-style pieces (no Civil War or Simpsons sets), and you should have a digital clock that you know how to use.
Check out the tournament's announcement to find out what the time controls are and set your clock to that ahead of time. For instance, my club usually uses 40/5. That is, 40 minutes for the entire game, with a 5 second delay after every move before the main time starts to count down.
Now, if the tournament is being held by a club, they'll usually have boards and sets already set up. But if the tournament is a larger one such as the World Open or Foxwoods, you'll need your own equipment; they provide nothing.
If you don't have any experience writing down your moves, now is the time to get in some good practice. Play a few games on chess.com and write down the moves as you play, getting a good feel for how it works.
Above all, have fun!! You don't have to be a strong player to have a good time at a tournament. (Lord knows I'm not)! And even if you lose all your games, which I've done many times, you'll have a great experience to look back on and to build on.
Oh, and one other VERY IMPORTANT THING: OTB tournaments are touch-move. Here on chess.com and all other sites, you can grab your piece and slide it all over the place and then put it back and move something else. Not OTB! If you touch it, you move it. So be very very careful before you reach out.
Apr 28, 2022
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#7
If you have never played a rated OTB game you might want to consider joining a club first. You can get the feel of playing OTB and might get some tourney tips from other club members.
You don't have to join a club, just something to think about.
May 4, 2022
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#8
Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a respected chess coach and chess YouTuber who helps beginners out :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5SPSG_sWSYPjqJYMNwL_Q
Playing in a tournament is easy. Follow these steps:
1) Join the USCF first, if you are in the USA. Here's the link:
https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess
2) Here is the chess tournament listings:
https://new.uschess.org/upcoming-tournaments
3) Also, you can also try to find your state's chess federation page too.
I hope that this helps.
I have been a USCF member for over 20 years, so I know what I am talking about.
I think it would be cool to play in a chess tournament but I know almost nothing about them.