Here's what I have done:
a) get plenty of rest, b) eat lightly, so as not to carbo-induce sleepiness, c) review tactical problems to enhance your vision, d) use your time wisely during the game - do not leave the board except for bathroom or nervousness breaks, and e) finally, have fun - after all, it's only a game, and games are supposed to be fun.
Good luck.
Get enough rest. It will do you no good to enter a tournament situation tired and with a fuzzy brain. Go to bed about an hour earlier than you normally would to ensure that you feel invigorated for your first game.
Do not study the night before the tournament. Take a break–watch TV, read a book, go to the movies. Do anything but study. This type of last minute “cram” does not work well, either for school students or chess players. Don’t think about chess, don’t look at chess, don’t play chess.
Have a good breakfast. Flying through a fast food joint and getting a couple of donuts and a coffee is likely not going to help your creative juices flow. Get up a little early and have a well-balanced, healthy breakfast that will keep you full for a while.
Take a sack or backpack in with you. In the sack, there should be extra pens/pencils, a snack or two, bottled water or juice, and a sweatshirt or light jacket in case the tournament hall gets cold.
Play the openings you know, and studied for. It is a big mistake to try something new at a chess tournament. If you get into positions you are not familiar with against a stronger player, things will probably not end well. Trust your instincts–play what you know!
Be on time to the game! There is no worse way to start a tournament chess game then showing up to find your clock is down 30 minutes. You will be forced to play faster, and just as accurate as your opponent, who has all their time left. Chances are, that isn’t going to happen, and the time pressure will hurt you. You paid money to play in the tournament, so it makes no sense to blow a game by sleeping in.
I appreciate these tips cpawn and drawmaster and I hope they will work. I think i will find it hard not to think about chess the night before because It is my first tourney and I will want to be flawless... even though I know that won't even be close to happening. Any others are welcome to chime in.
What chu faun a do? Use your brain's move analyzer and use your time wisely and get good sleep and have a good breakfast (wheaties, milk, fruits, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) and have a positive attitude and have fun. 'Nuf said.
WOW, CPawn, I was excited to come answer this post because I'd written an article on just this subject - and you already put it here! Super cool, I love it! Here is the link to my article anyhow haha. :)
http://www.ehow.com/how_4558091_prepare-first-chess-tournament.html
And here is another one I had published a while back - it's basically the same information, but in a much longer article. :)
Thanks everyone and I appreciate the tips that were given. It was a 3 round swiss and I did not do so well scoring 1/3. I am glad that I won one but it was too a much weaker player and he should not have lasted as long as he did. I think I should have done much better but I did enjoy it and I cannot wait to play another one.
Hello everyone and It would be really helpful if anyone told me what they usually do before a OTB tourney. It will be on Tuesday and will be a 3 game round-robin. I will be happy to post the games after. Time controls are 60 minutes for each player. Any advice is welcome.