Preparation for a High School Chess Tournament

Hello fellow chess players,

I will be entering my first tournament in May and was wondering how tournaments are and what advice you could give me to best utilize my time until then. It is the New Jersey high school championship, so I'm assuming their will be strong players their. My USCF ID is this: http://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,181/ 

I'm considering making a fully functional repertoire, but besides that I do not know what the best way to prepare for a tournament is. 

Thanks,

Nathan Ballance

An 'Out-of-the-box' idea - Since, 'Algebra' and 'chess' develop, {I would think}, the same portion, of the 'brain'.. Maybe, you could get your school, and-or 'algebra' teachers, to give your 'team' members, 'class' credit.. For skipping class.. {& being excused, for that portion & commensurate 'higher math' tests}.. while y'all, devote further time, to 'hone' your 'chessic' abilities!

 .. All, I know, is that, way back when.. the future 'Real world' benefits, I gained, from being physically present, in my 'h.s.' algebra classes.. {with minimal understanding}.. You could fit, in half the size, of a postage stamp! ... Sad, but, True !!  ] ;

That's not really advice, but what do I know?

Tactics practice and endgame study are frequent suggestions around here.

ah...tournament play...you meet the best people...and you will most likely meet your arch nemisis lol theres a lot of pressure on you...win the first game and it sets you up nicely for the rest of the tournament☺ have fun...and as mentioned...do tactics to prepare

What lines do you play.

I can help you prepare for the tournament.....you are obviously a bit better player than me but still I can help you to prepare for players who are almost the same strength

sending you a challenge

I love tournaments. Remember to have fun. Corny, I know. But in terms of prep, I wouldn't worry about openings too much. You probably have a good foundation there already. Do lots of tactics. They keep your mind fresh and seeing the board properly. 

Don't set lofty expectations. Just aim to play your best. Because if your goal is to win every game, you're going to feel pretty defeated if you lose your first. Just play games you'd be proud of, no matter the outcome.

Oh and good luck! Please come back here and let us know how you did.