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Carpooling to chess tournaments + sharing books = awkward?

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Wannabepro
Wannabepro
Aug 27, 2011
0
#1

Hi. I'm still a bit new to the chess world so forgive me if my question is silly, but do chess players carpool to chess tournaments or share chess books or is that just plain awkward?

The reason I ask is because I notice a lot of big tournaments a couple of hours drive away from where I live. I go to a local chess club (but I don't have real chess friends yet, I guess) and I don't know if it would be proper etiquette to ask if anybody wants to carpool? And also, the people at my local club don't seem so keen on sharing chess books (both people give and take, not one-way); how do I find willing chess players to share chess books with? Maybe the chess players at my club are just anti-social? Laughing

And just one last question: how do you make chess friends? As dumb as that sounds, I really would like to make chess friends (as that would motivate me to go to more OTB tournaments). I'm friendly but it seems like my friendliness is ignored. Also, my current OTB rating is 1700 (after years and years of not playing), if rating plays at all into making chess friends. Thanks!

DrawMaster
DrawMaster
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Aug 28, 2011
0
#2

 

Played in a couple of regional team tournaments that were 10-hour drives from the local area. You bet we carpooled ... the four of us. Each time.

The loaning of chess books to unknowns or very casual acquaintances is fraught with difficulty. I've only done so when I didn't really care if the book was returned or not. However, since many of my chess books are my favorite and most highly prized books, I would only consider loaning them to a close friend.

Making chess friends is easy, especially at a local club. Just attend regularly and the friendships happen readily. At least that is my experience. As for ratings and friends, I number masters and patzers among my chess friends, so it's not a critical factor ... though technical discussions of chess are easier when all the participants can understand at least some of what's being discussed.

Just one man's experience. Your mileage may vary. Smile

TheOldReb
NM TheOldReb
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Aug 28, 2011
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#3

Most of the tournaments I have gone to over the years were with at least one other chess player. This other chess player was always a good friend and we would split the hotel/trip expenses 50/50 and it helped us both. It was rare when I went with more than one other except when going to a team event in which there would usually be 3 or 4 of us travel together. I only loan my chess books out to close friends that I can rely upon to return them. I also write down who borrows what so that I dont forget as I might have several books loaned out to 2 or more friends at the same time. I used to borrow books from an IM that had a huge private collection of books and he would never let me borrow more than 2 books at the time and I had to return those before he would loan me more. I had no problem with this and it made sense to me.