My First Live Tournament

I restarted playing about 4 months ago and there was a fairly local tournament, so I thought I'd enter.  Well I did manage two wins out of five rounds.  Two of the losses were more about the time, not that I was running out, I just couldn't deal with these tense closed positions after 80 minutes.  That's also about the time I won the other two games in.  So one lesson is that I don't have the stamina for 2 hour long games   I also noticed that given these time limits the games were more precise, positional, and closed than a lot of what I see online, or even playing for fun.  I think usually my games have decent openings and then it's thinking 2-3 moves out, combining basic tactics and positional thought.  But, I think I need more focus on specific targets a la Nimzowitch.  But 2 hour games one after the other, how do people prepare?

You bring up a very good point: playing long games requires stamina of mind and body, as well as some coping techniques for nervousness, focus, etc. At one point I began to dread OTB play for precisely the stresses that you describe, and others. Even local club games were G/120 (or 4 hours in duration) and I could hardly manage the nerves and attention span needed. I remember one particular regional event I played in. It would be a 5-round tournament with time controls of 40/120 and SD/1 (first 40 moves in two hours and sudden death in 60 minutes after that) - the possibility of a 6-hour game ensued. Friday night. Round 1 started at 7PM. Would you know it, but my opponent and I would be the LAST pair playing, finishing at 12:55 AM! Worn out already, with 4 more such rounds to go. I don't remember whether I won, lost, or drew. Alas, I eventually gave up OTB chess due to such events. Others were able, willing, and even interested in such battles. I was not.

So, I really don't have any advice, just a sympathetic ear from one who struggled mightily with long games. I have more such stories but won't bore you with them ... and if I continued, you might never play again.

Congrats on having completed your tourney; good luck in the future.

One person there told me about the first tournament he won at age 17, it involved 7 hour games and losing 15 pounds in two days.  That level of chess is beyond what I want to attain.  I want to get better and understanding the underlying strategy and tactics and focus on slowly improving and enjoying my chess.  60 minute games would probably be ideal, but the two hour games are OK< just not four in a row :-).  But I could probably even cope with that, but that would really be the limit.  I think blitz chess is fine online, but I don't know that I could stand playing a live 2 hour game either. 

At least now I know a little of what to expect