First tournament in 15 years this weekend.

Assuming life doesn't interfere, this weekend will be my first tournament in 15 years! Its just a small local tournament, nothing big but exciting for me anyway. When I left my rating was almost at my floor of 1700, I feel like I understand chess a lot more, but I can tell my tactics have taken a hit. Oh well, thats middle age for you. Style-wise Ill try and keep it simple and get to an endgame where I usually do ok.

Been on this site pretty heavy, so Ill think Ill take the rest of the week off and try and get my sleep in order (single biggest factor in my play, a good nights sleep I can 9/10 on the tactics, bad nights sleep struggle to make 5/5). Anyway wish me luck (or if Ive pissed you off, well life goes on doesnt it).

Good luck!

ok.... 15 years is going to be a long time to recover your real OTB, even thoough you've been playing online, but good luck

Well finished the tournament it was so so. Finished with a score of 3-2. However the pairings were very odd so I couldn't really figure out my current playing strength.

Rd 1 opponent 800 win

Rd 2 opponent 2100 loss (really bad loss, no hung pieces or anything, but badly played opening and no middle game strategy at all)

Rd 3 opponent 1000 win

Rd 4 opponent 1200 win

Rd 5 opponent 2250 loss (this game I fought a lot better than the first loss, had an edge out of the opening, but slipped and he grabbed the initiative, ended at an endgame with a rook and opposite colored bishops but down a pawn, should have taken some time, evaluated the position, and put together a drawing plan. Instead I got bound up, mispositioned my bishop and ended up losing )

So it was fun, but strength wise doesnt tell me much. (I was hoping to play 1600-1900 players)

 Right, about 30 players, Im planning on my next one January it should be about 100 and have more rounds. If I really start playing a lot next year, the big ones will be CCA tournaments. Here is the game, it went for a few more moves that I need to recreate, but you can see its lost already (after losing the a pawn, the opposite bishops wont save the against the connected passes). I havent analyzed it but I think with Ra2 instead on Rb1 I have some drawing chances. Need to unwind the king, but I think I can unwind it in the time it takes his king to start playing a role.

Actually 30...Rb3 looks like my best chance for a draw.

Wait nvm

In the southern US

Yeah those are mostly CCA tournaments, if really get into it, I probably go to a few (I used to always go to the World Open in Philly, and the Washington ones look appealing, a lot to see and do in Washington). In the south unfortunately not very many large ones and the distance is a bit insane (I consider Atlanta 'close' and its a 3 hour drive by interstate!).

I'm in NW Florida and it is chess dead for hundreds of miles around me.  Atlanta is 6 hours away.  New Orleans is closer but not particularly active.  I lived and worked in the Philadelphia area for 3 years in the 90s, and I definitely got spoiled, but I haven't played in a tournament in 19 years.  I actually quit following chess altogether until a couple of years ago when I saw a mention of the Carlsen-Karjakin world championship match and realized I had never heard of either of them.  I watched the live stream of the match with Judit Polgar commentating and started feeling the bug again.  Started following the chess scene again and now I know the names of a lot more people who could crush me with their eyes closed.

I do miss the chess scene in the Philly/NJ area, though.

the last tournament i played in i played a 2700, alex shimanov, a 2690, and 3 800-1000s.