Preparing for an OTB tournament

I've signed up for my first OTB tournament in January where I'll be playing on a 60+30 time increment. I've never played competitively OTB before, never used a clock, never annotated as I play, only ever played low stakes chess games in a pub with a couple of beers...

I'm interested in any tips people might have for transitioning from purely online play to playing OTB, exercises or tips that you think helped you (or would help me) to prepare.

(Before anybody says it, yes I'm expecting to lose most if not all of my games. And I already have a chess coach who will be helping me prepare and review my games after, I'm just interested in hearing what works well from others!)

What section will you be playing in?

How many rounds?

I think there's only one section (U2200) and it's a 6 round swiss.

Really?  That seems strange to limit a tournament to 1 section under 2200? 

My first friendly game OTB a few weeks ago was a Ruy Lopez (which I like to play as white) and I hung my queen in a stupid position I've probably played a few times before. So I'm prepared for that adjustment curve and to probably make some dumb mistakes. Though I'm hoping the luxury of time vs my normal 15+10 preference will inspire me to slow down a bit.

https://www.xequematebrasil.com.br/app.smart2_calendariodetalhes&eventonc=118414&grupo=Eventos

XXVIII IRT of Hebrew
January 14th to 16th 2022
Sub 2200
Valid for FIDE Rating Calculation
LIMITED TO 100 PLAYERS
Event's place:
Marc Chagall Room - Clube Hebraica – São Paulo/SP
Rua Doutor Alberto Cardoso de Melo Neto, 115 – Jardim
Paulistan
Game System and number of rounds:
Swiss System in 06 (six) rounds. Pairing by Swiss Manager

[Translated by Google from the tournament docs - it's in SP, Brazil so all Portuguese]

That clears that up, thanks!

Since it is a Swiss you will be getting a high rated opponent in the first round.  After a few rounds everyone will settle into opponents close to their ratings. 

1. Get plenty of rest.

2. Warm up your brain with some tactics before the first round. 

3. Eat a light meal.  Nothing heavy.

4. Stay hydrated.  Avoid sugar and energy drinks. 

5. TAKE YOUR TIME.  Cant emphasize this enough. 

6. Write down each move since its required.  Once your under 5 minutes you dont have to record moves. 

7. Remember to hit the clock after each move. 

8. Go over the game with your opponent after.  Its a good way to learn. 

9. Do some lite analysis of your own.  Nothing heavy some just quick notes after each game.

10. Probably most importantly.  Have fun!  and good luck!

Thanks! I definitely want to try and get decent sleep and rest before it (something I usually struggle with). 

I actually might have brought something like Coke to drink to give me a bit of energy but I guess the idea is to avoid sugar crashes during games?

A great habit to acquire is learning to sit on your hands. Good luck.

The advice above is pretty good.  Let me add a few more:

1.  *USE* your time!  Almost all of it.  What's the point of having 60 minutes (or whatever) in a game if you're only going to use 30 minutes of it.  Why spot your opponent half your time?

2.  If possible, try to play some games between now and then with the same time control, to get used to it.

3.  Read "The Goldilocks Principle" by Dan Heisman about time management during a game (https://web.archive.org/web/20140714190611/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman126.pdf)

4.  Repeating a suggestion above: ask your opponent if he'll go over the game with you afterwards.  I've almost never had anybody say no (unless it was the last round of the day and folks were burnt out and wanted to go home).   Even more so in your first round when you might get paired with somebody way stronger than you.  It'd be like getting a free lesson.

5.  As it is a Swiss, you'll be playing somebody at your level towards the latter half of the tourney.  Consider the first few rounds as "trial by fire".  You're in it to learn and get the experience.

6.  And, finally, Dan Heisman just put out a video on his channel on this very subject!

Have a great time!!

Yep...

Great post, thanks! Watching that video now!

In my experience also, everyone agrees to go over the game with you and tell you what you did wrong after the game. This is only a fraction of what Stockfish will say you did wrong, but it will be by far the most important fraction. It will be the stuff that your opponent could actually see and think "okay now I have a tactic."

60+30 is going to feel slow after playing mostly faster games online, so its much more likely that you'll play too fast than too slowly. I read from Dan Heisman, in the slow game 60% of players play too fast, 20% play too slowly and only 20% play at the correct speed. The average game has about 35 moves, so at 60+30 that's about 77.5 minutes, meaning you have more than 2 minutes per move, so in the most critical positions you want to sit on your hands for at least 5 minutes before playing that move that you saw after 3 seconds. Calculate as much as you can and do the best that you can.

And if you lose, it's all part of the experience in becoming a better player. The typical player who you play against online will start to look a whole lot softer after you go up against some of these U2200 players.

Good luck.

Let me add: going over the game will get you something no engine, nor anybody else in the world, can tell you: what your opponent was thinking during the game.  For example, he might say "I played x in order to stop you from doing y".  It might never even show up in an engine.  And "y" might not have ever even crossed your mind.   

These can be valuable insights.

Your opponent can explain the "why" behind moves.  A chess engine cant. 

60+30 means you have to start at a pace of about 2.5 minutes per move and finish at 30 seconds per move. Take that time. Consider each move carefully. Check your intended move is no blunder before you play it.

Take your time with your moves, calculate ahead for simple tactics, hanging pieces and the opponent likely responses if you move where you are considering. 

I also will comment how you'll probably feel way more nervous, or anxious, than you think you will be. This is completely normal and everyone experiences it for the first few OTB tournaments they play in. The feeling lessens with experience, so just try your best and take the entire thing as a learning curve, for fun and for experience.

To help with nervousness, or moving too quickly, an old trick is to literally "sit on your hands." By placing your hands under your body weight, it will serve as an extra reminder to take your time and double check your moves etc. before you move them. 

Good luck and have fun with your chess tournament experience

Good advice above. Not much to add.

To get used to the clock, maybe play some OTB blitz with a friend or something. When you gain experience as an OTB player, hitting the clock will become second nature to you, but it will take time getting used to. Don't let you opponents think on your time.

Yeah, in my very first game in my first tourney (just this past July) both my opponent and I forgot to hit the clock a few times.

But you get used to it.  Now when I play at a local club (where most games are played very informally without a clock) it feels weird *not* to hit the clock!

==========

One other thing.  Have you ever done a physical workout, and afterwards your tired by your muscles feel like their glowing, so to speak?  (Hard to put that into words, I hope you get what I mean)

In my first tourney (possibly the first game? I can't remember) my game ended up being 4 hours long (as per usual, I lost on a silly miscalculation error at the end).  When I was done, I was simultaneously exhausted but also exhilarated.  It was like my brain had had a workout and it was glowing afterwards.

During the game, my mind drifted a few times to thinking, "wow -- this is great -- a whole weekend of chess and only chess -- there's nowhere I'd rather be right now".  That's a happy feeling, and I'm a big believer that when you're happy, you do things better (when you're happy you're a better spouse, better parent, better at work, etc.).  I channel that happiness into positive energy in my game. 

(PS: can you tell that I love OTB tourneys?)