How do you make friends at OTB tournaments?

Hi, this might be a dumb question, but how do you make friends at OTB chess tournaments? I'm new to OTB tournaments, and my current USCF rating is around 1400. I play in Southern California and am a 20 year old female. I go to the big chess tourneys where there are different sections and lots of people. I recognize that chess is kind of an anti-social game and a lot of the players are middle-aged / older, but I want to get to know my fellow chess-players and make chess friends. Any advice? 

At kid chess tournaments from my experince you play for the championship or something and then they will be your friend

1.) How do you make friends other places?

If it's someone you just played a game against, I suppose you could ask them afterward if they'd be interested in some post-mortem analysis. Players who are serious about improving would probably be glad to do it with you, so you also get the added benefit of buddying up with the more serious players.

Analyze your games after. You learn and you meet some new friends. Also, many people gather in the designated "skittles room" during tournaments. Many players meet there during and especially after the tournament to socialize!

Hi.... I've found that attending tournaments with good friends makes the experience much more comfortable and fun.  I attend chess clubs that consist predominantly of scholastic players.  Their minds are full of sunshine!  They also like to play bughouse. 

In the kibitzing room or in the main hall where the pairings are posted I see people playing and chatting all the time about chess, work, school and other people.  And people enjoy an easy smile and a greeting regardless, but it's especially easy to engage somebody in conversation if they're not already in a conversation because you just start your own, asking how they're doing, and making a remark related to what they're doing.

In every relationship I have ever had, and unfortunately I have never had a very close friend for long perhaps because I stay busy or maybe because I enjoy books and accruing knowledge so much and so well that I did not find parties attractive, but I know many people and their motives, and know several that I trust and like, and the key to make any relationship happen, or to make anything happen in life, is to take the initiative - always.  The world's a stage... ;-) ... and is yours for the taking.  To make friends, simply engage in their happiness and share your own happiness.

In a major tournament, if you stand up and wait by where the pairings are shortly before the round, guys will crowd around in conversation within 30 seconds.  But if you sit down and do work quietly by yourself, it's unlikely people will talk to you, although I would have done, but I haven't played in Southern California, but I've been there, and will again.

I find people fascinating and pleasant, and the rare unpleasantness doesn't faze me in the slightest.  I've never been female obviously ;-)  but I've had experience in being the outsider and being lonely in some respects  but there are always people and resources around that may provide some comfort.  I've found the learning experience to be most fulfilling.

I listened to a youtube video, a Star Trek episode  (one of the best acc. to reliable sources) suggested to me on how to further a relationship I guess, it's a completely different subject, yes, to go from friends to more than that (romance or soul mates), but some of the tips suggested i think are absolutely the same to start any relationship and to improve anybody's happiness, uplifting and i liked the music.

DS9 : His Way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqY6j3wJlKo

Listened to it today doing other stuff, inspired me to make this post.  I've been told I talk too much but the quiet life is boring is it not? :-)  plus i find the response or lack of so insatiably interesting, as i do everything.  of course, so often, people forget past conversations or experiences or memories, and i don't forget much at all, ever, really, unfortunately. 

Users amandarm and energia are females that regularly play in big tournaments too, so you could ask them about their experiences.  I would have thought (nearly thoughtlessly ;-) ) females get no shortage of attention, although not always the most constructive kind to build character.  Not particularly my concern though, although, what should be, IDK, maybe to work on being less pedantic, whatever that means, exactly, but it's a nice word.

I hope you're doing brilliantly of course, especially if you're very pleasant.

Gosh (who's gosh?), this post is way too long.  How does that happen? 

Footsies

Lose every game :)

Everyone wants to be the best friend of a loser

*i talk from experience*

Actually, my experience has been that a majority of participants at USCF tournaments are younger, with very few who are middle-aged or older.  Perhaps that's because I am middle-aged and everyone else seems young in comparison!  Seriously though, other than in the open and maybe some of the higher brackets, there are not a lot of players who are over 40.  In the lower brackets (such as under 1400 or under 1500), a majority of players are under 30.  Actually, one of the things that surprised me is how many "scholastic" players (i.e., under 18) there were at these tournaments.  I played a couple of tournaments in the 1970s and I was one of the few kids who entered.  I stopped playing for 30, actually closer to 40 years, and started playing again last year; in the first tournament I entered (USCF, but smaller tournament), at least 75% of the participants were little kids (under 14 for the most part).

Getting back to your original question, I think it is pretty easy to make friends at an OTB tournament.  As some have mentioned, offer to go over your game with your opponent.  Also, hang out in the skittles room and play blitz/bullet between matches, or just chat with people.  I haven't become "best buddies" with anyone I've met at a tournament, but I have exchanged email addresses and contact information with several people.  Moreover, I have run into the same people (because they are close to my rating level) at other tournaments and chatted with them at those tournaments.

I think it's a wonderful question. I like to see young people enthusiastic about chess. As several have suggested, the post-mortem analysis, and chatting in the skittles room, are probably your best opportunities during a tournament.

Start by asking a group of chess players how to make friends... :P

Chess is an antisocial game?!?! No no no, chess brings people together, especially at tournaments, everyone has a common passion for the game!

I have a huge OTB experience, but what is "friends" ?

lolllllll

Introduce yourself. Always a good first step. You already have something in common, so find a mutual topic of interest is not hard. Ask a non-tourney related question, to break the ice.

Yes... break the ice with my favourite question...

Is the knight (horsey) the only piece that can jump over other pieces?

Extend you hand and say, "Hello my name is ..."

Works for most people.  Try it out.  You might be surprised.  

Wearing some nice head gear may help....

Both photos above are great, @Connor. More power to you. 

LOL... that was a pic of a Participant at a 2010 U-18 Youth Championship