Is it a bad idea to participate in tournaments when you are still very new to chess?

I live in Las Vegas and there is going to be a National Open in 2 and a half months and its seems like it would be fun to go and see what its like to play in a OTB tournament. It just feel so perfect since it's already in my city and its going to be one of the first OTB tournaments in a while since the pandemic. 

But, I am a low rated player (1050 chess.com) and even if I were to train really hard from now until then I would probably lose most my matches which doesn't bother me too much because I think I would still enjoy it even if I was losing and I think it would be a good first taste of what tournament play is like.

I am just worried that since those would be my calibration matches I would dig myself in a hole rating-wise that would take a very long time to get out of later on.

So should I wait until for the distant future to play in tournaments to calibrate at a higher rank or is it okay to start out low rated and work your way up?

No, it's not a bad thing. Going to tournaments as a beginner can give you lots of experience. 

Play, no reason not to. Just familiarize yourself with OTB rules/etiquette before you play. Good luck.

If you think you you're gonna have fun just go for it

Don't worry about rating otherwise you're only going to start playing tournaments when? 1400? 1700? 2200? Doesn't make sense. Also you'll the experience you only get on OTB tournaments so when you're higher rated it'll be easier to win games

Example:
Let's say you have 2 moves that you're considering, and your opponent is low on time.

You think that a forcing move is the best move in the position, but your opponents reply is an automatic recapture.

However, your other move is almost as good as the forcing one, but only if your opponent finds the right move, but in order to do that he has to think a lot and burn his time even more.

In this case the second best move can be considered the best move because of the consequences...

Also, this means that you'll get experience that is going to help you improve faster.

Try and play a couple OTB games with friends or something so you can get used to the 3D view. If you're not used to it it might be a little weird at first and maybe (maybe not?) hinder your game a bit.

Plus, let's say you do lose and get a low rating and a year from now you're 1600, you get to easily beat everybody which is kinda fun.

I'm not really familiar with USCF rules but I would assume that  if you beat someone higher rated than you you get more points than if you beat someone your rating, so you'd climb the rating ladder rather quickly...

Don't give your rating a thought. What difference does it make if you get a low rating out of the event? It just means that in your next event, you'll get easier pairings and win some games (and gain some rating points).

Playing in a tournament is a great experience. It will give you new insights on the game and on its players. You'll learn a lot.

One of the things I learned from playing in the 1974 Canadian Open (Montreal) was "Don't kick your opponent in the nuts in a chess tournament in Canada. You'll get arrested."

Weird scenes at the Canadian Open - Chess Forums - Chess.com

It's never too early to go and play in a tournament, get out there and play some chess!

blitzblunderz

No tournaments help your chess

Thanks guys, I agree with what you are saying about not worrying about rating and just going to play at the tournament and that it'll help me get some tournament experience and I plan on going! Thank you

• No it is an experience. I was a tournament player when I was a beginner. My heart pounded so fast in each tournament game I played.

Beginners are the ones who can get more fun in tournaments. Nobody expect them to win anything and anyone will try to help and teach. That's the time to socialize and expand chess culture.

Ben Finegold has a great series of lessons on chess.com on how to go to your first tournament if you only played online chess.

https://www.chess.com/lessons/your-first-tournament

The U1200 group is almost always the largest group of players in any tournament.  

If you haven't ever played OTB and never taken notes while playing, I would practice. 

I am a 445 uscf, and I go to tournaments

tournaments are basically the same as playing chess, except ur just in a group of players that dont change.

in real life tournaments its obviously a bit different, and more stressful, but online its basically like just getting on live chess and searching for a match.

Go for it and good luck! You have nothing to lose and will be a great experience 

I wouldn't worry about your rating. An OTB tournament is a great experience. However, if possible I would try to enter a section for lower rated players. Facing only stronger players and scoring 0.5/7 or so can be quite demotivating.

I am new to chess, and I play in tournaments! Go ahead and good luck with your chess journey and tournaments!

So you play some chess online, and you think an OTB tournament will be fun, and you want to know what it's like... that's the perfect reason to play. I would play if I were you.

Big tournaments have sections. It's not like you'll have to play GMs, you can play other lower rated guys... and even if you lose most (or all) of your games, who cares! That's how many people's first tournament goes. So go have fun and soak up the experience.

I was thinking of going into some too. Was going to wait untill around 1300 online rating though, finish my openings courses. And the whole covid thing an iuno how many would be in ontario canada. Not looking to travel very far.

+1 

you will find your true rating too