The transition to OTB

We all know 2020 isn't the best year to talk about OTB chess. However, while online chess has been its own thing for years and will certainly continue to grow, I suspect many online only players may still want to play officially OTB at some point in their lives.

So, my open ended questions ripe for discussion (and geared towards experienced OTB players) are:

- if you are an adult, what kind of section would you recommend playing in in an official tournament?

- should you prepare for dubious openings and idiotic traps?

- do you recommend training with clocks and sets similar to those that will be in the tournament?

-how advisable is it to analyze with your opponent after the game if you can?

I generally recommend to play in the lowest possible section if you have not played OTB yet.  If you feel like you are a strong player, then you could probably go a division or two up based on your instincts.

I would highly recommend analyzing your game with your opponent afterwards if you both are up for it; that is the most important way to analyze a game.  No engine, no opening explorer, nothing - just having a friendly discussion about both of your ideas and thoughts while going through the game is probably the best tool you could have and can be a good way to make friends.

 

Today's club players are very opening-savvy, so you should definitely know your traps. I will not play OTB seriously, until I feel real at home with all three main sections of a chess game.

Avoid open rating tournaments. You WILL be the stronger player's cannonfodder !

Forget about traps if you're looking to improve. Play what is right and will work, not what is wrong but may work.

I don't think the clock will be a major issue for anyone. You'll probably tend to forget pressing the clock in your first OTB games, but you'll surely get accustomed after a few games. Time trouble, on the other hand, occurs to everyone at every level and is a part of the game.

Analyzing with opponent is, as far as I can tell, a cultural phenomenon. Post-game chats can be customary in cultures that embrace talkativeness and causal exchanges. But in my place, if I try to chat after a game, he/she will likely give me weird looks and avoid saying anything substantial.

the biggest issues i had going from online to otb was

1. recording every move- this was tough and it requires concentration; at least in my case

i have finally adopted a routine that involves recording the moves before i even attempt making mine

win, lose, draw having an accurate score sheet to pgn a game afterwards is important

2. just playing a game otb takes some getting used to; i missed so much visually, early on in otb, that it was a real problem

practice/play with a real board and pieces as much as possible

3. being aware of illegal moves (especially in endgames/time troubles)- there is no program that makes illegal moves impossible in otb

i play my otb games, for the most part, at a local club, so after a few weekends i got to know/recognize most of the other players; there isnt usually much post game review with opponent

but any casual games on non tournament days are tailor made for going over moves and games with other club members

—-

at the club i play at we i was one of the “worst” players early on as it took a few tournaments for me to get used to the environment

and we sometimes get a local master level player here or there

we all get thrown in the same pool and the club owner will pair up as well as he can (and does a good job)

i am now “middle of the pack” but i can say that every game i have played- win, lose, or draw has been challenging and rewarding

so “rating” brackets doesnt really apply where i play

good luck

Well, fortunately for me, while algebraic notation isn't my forte, I have kept notation for all my serious online 30+ minute games (typically i will keep notation is the increment is over 20 seconds), actually playing the moves in a physical board.

Typically, what I like about club life is that, if you're a beginner, it's unlikely you will mostly play beginners, unless you're a kid/junior. For the most part, you will get to play intermediate players and some advanced ones, which I think does wonders to eliminate the trippy, trappy , decidedly annoying excesses of online games.

One of the things I've realized is... most intermediate/advanced players, unless it's a friendly game, will not play in needlessly aggressive fashion. Most are confident that their victory will come due to you blundering or else, due to their superior knowledge of the middlegame/endgame. I find that attitude so much better than the moronic cutthroat push by most intermediate/beginner online only players.

Curious about the costs as someone who is planning to try OTB chess sometime in the future. Is it expensive to play in these tournaments? I would assume you have to bring your own chessboards and clocks, but what other costs would there be?

there is usually an entry fee for a tournament and if you havent played before or your membership has expired you will need to buy a uscf membership (good for 1 year)

so- maybe $75-100 if you just show up

plus, you might need to account for travel and food and maybe a room if you are staying for a weekend event

i would assume other chess federations are similar

they say to bring your own chess gear but, at least the club i play, usually opponent has all his stuff so just use his

1) Enter the highest section you won't make a fool out of yourself in.  It's easier to rise to level in a difficult pool than to work your way up to that level after swimming in the shallow end for too long.

2) YES - folks up to the Expert level will often throw trap lines at unrated players in an effort to score a quick and easy win.  If you learn your openings well, you can score an easy win instead (I've seen this happen several times).  Once your rating is well-established, this won't happen very much, but for your first few tournaments, if you want to play a classical opening, you'll need to know the trap lines for it.

3) Yes - training with clocks, notation, and reasonable time controls (no less than game-30) is important to get a feel for the tournament setting.

4) Extremely advisable - win, lose, or draw, there will always be important points to review.  Post-game analysis will give you a better insight into another player's thought processes.  No matter what your level, any decent player will have at least some useful ideas which may be of help to you in subsequent games.

 

1. I guess that's interesting advice. I'd say u1700 is reasonable of it exists. Even u1500 if its one of your first tournaments.

2. Well, I just hope not many players are that trollish, but I guess they are. It would be great if you could bypass those bullying attempts and get some default respect.

3. I think G45 and G90/30 are becoming way too common in many places... Then again, it's a matter of how inconvenient other, longer time controls can be.

4. I like this, but I always think that it may hinge on how much respect/status you command . If it's not high enough, it may be bland...

Last piece of advice is to literally "sit on your hands" so you won't be rushing your moves under the much longer time controls. Plus, EVERYONE is nervous their first few times - maybe even first few months. Just use this as an experience and try to enjoy it as much as you can. Good luck and have fun

Playing a real life OTB tournament is an experience like no other. It starts with the preparation, which is usually when you begin to feel mentally ready a few days before going into the event. Study openings, middlegames, endgames, do puzzles, get your mind in the zone. I remember feeling mixed emotions before my first one but the nervous energy melts away when you get there and see how many people of all ages are participating and many come with family and friends to celebrate their love of chess - it's truly awesome. There is something special about touching the pieces, hitting the clock, and writing your moves down that will encourage you to treat the game as more of a hobby than simply an online recreational activity. You have the freedom to stand up and walk around during the games, and it's pretty cool when you notice other players occasionally watching your game unfold, but courteously making sure not to distract either you or the opponent. It's not uncommon to see a small crowd huddled around a board following the moves between two masters, in awe of their skills. Obviously everyone wants to win pize money in their section and every point is important, but if you can just take a moment to appreciate the tournament hall and the players around you and soak it all in, it becomes more enjoyable and you usually end up having a better performance as a result.