My club is very strict about not talking while games are in progress. One night, the guy who makes the coffee had a late start. About ten minutes into the tournament, he announced that the coffee was ready. Six players immediately yelled "SHHHH!" The look on his face was priceless, he was so stunned. Then everyone laughed, got some coffee, and continued their games.
What is the most SURPRISING incident happen with you while playing OTB tourney?
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anpu3 wrote:
Here's a little tale with the moral being... know when to keep my mouth shut.
About 16 years ago our small local club hosted a weekend tournament. Only 20 or so in attendance and all were familiar with one another. The TD was a friend of mine. The other key characters I will call Frog and Toad for the sake of anonymity.
Going into the last round, Frog & Toad see they are paired together. Being close friends they say in the presence of myself & others that they will quickly agree to a draw and proceed to the nearest exotic dancing girl bar. (I'm paraphrasing for PG purposes here).
Well, pre-arranged draws are one thing but this was pretty blatant. So, I told my TD friend. He then confronted Frog about it and to say the least; harsh words led to the TD chasing Frog into the parking lot. We onlookers thought for a moment they might come to blows. Frog & Toad both got a foreit which was backed up by the USCF despite their(mostly Frog's) protest.
Flash forward a few months. Now Frog is hosting a tourney and denies my TD friend entry based on the rule that the TD has the right to deny entry to anyone he chooses.
Talk about "bad blood"! To this day these guys still hold a grudge.
And all because I opened my well intentioned big mouth. I wish I could take it back now because it caused more trouble than it was worth.
Opinions? What would you have done?
I agree: never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut.
What exactly were your intentions? What did you intend to accomplish?
surprising incident. earthquake!
Well..once in a national tournament I blundered a piece on move 8. However, somehow he managed to LOSE that game to fall to a mate attack.
syafiqazizi wrote:
surprising incident. earthquake!
Fischer was at a tnmt (in South America I think) interupted by an earthquake in the middle of a rd. Just about everyone else fled the tnmt hall but not Bobby, who remained seated at his bd concentrating on the game. His opponent then requested the TD re-start Bobby's clock, which he did.
Finally! Got one.
In my recent Thanksgiving tournament, players of all ages, even puny ones,were in it. I was in the Open Section playing my last round. In the middle we all (a small cozy room) heard someone SINGING AN OPERA (or just screechy notes). There was a big crowd so despite trying to catch the singer, it was hard. Believe me, it was hilarious. Eventually the singing came closer and I eventually found out "the singer".
Got another!
In another tournament there was this person, who dozed off during the tournament. His snoring was loud,and everyone in the room was laughing...even his opponent. Eventually after sleeping for 15 min he was "energized" but still drew.
England celebrates Thanksgiving ? 
Not really Thanksgiving, just around that time.
Abhishek2 wrote:
Finally! Got one.
In my recent Thanksgiving tournament, players of all ages, even puny ones,were in it. I was in the Open Section playing my last round. In the middle we all (a small cozy room) heard someone SINGING AN OPERA (or just screechy notes). There was a big crowd so despite trying to catch the singer, it was hard. Believe me, it was hilarious. Eventually the singing came closer and I eventually found out "the singer".
Sorry, but this just seems totally non-believable :P
In my most recent otb tournament, my opponent was clearly tied up and practically doomed (even though the computer says I only had a 2 point edge). He happened to allow his queen to be pinned to his king. Realizing his blunder, he started muttering under his breath. I have no idea
what he was doing (it sounded like gibberish) until he started getting louder and louder until he practically shouted BLUNDER! BLUNDER ON MOVE 39! AHH! It was so funny that I needed to do all I can not to burst out laughing. After he resigned and we looked over the game, he spent the next half hour trying to convince me I had no win.
A few rounds later, I was next to this guy. This time he is up the exchange when he blunders into a mate in 2. He does the same muttering and blunder-screaming thing again, resigns, and starts analyzing the position. When his opponent tried to suggest a move, he ignores him and moves the piece right back (exactly what he did to me). Eventually his opponent gets so fed up that he goes "Stop! Stop! I can't take this!" It was one of the funniest sights.
(sure enough, next round he blundered into a mate in 1, and I hurried to stop watching the game and leave before things got ugly)
my opponents clock stopped during a game...
he didnt wind both sides...
would that really give him an advantage?
weired eh?
some people?
then theres me!
are you normal:)
@JMB2010 You're supposed to lose the post-mortem
@Shadowknight not a player, just a lady with music on her lap.
in a otb blitz tourney I lost the queen... I played on very dishearted. Later on I checked his king and he didn't see it and as the rule goes I took his king and yelled "YES!!" in sheer joy. My opponent was so surprised he fell off his chair.
I apologized immediately but explained I had totally written the game off and just don't know where this outburst came from. I know where it came from tho but I won't share that.
lol
Once in a tournament in June I was playing the guy 100 points above me. Well I was under pressure and had to make time control. So coincidentally, because it was humid I got a NOSEBLEED! 
So I RAN to the bathroom and got a towel, I barely had any time. And I spilled some blood on my notating book! 
My opponent tried to suppress his smile. Well the good news is he wasn't smiling for long, for I found a way to beat him. 
Eventually I won my last round and finished with 5/6. I earned almost $400. I was a 
then!
Wow would you get a nosebleed "because it was humid"?
That would suck.
well for some reason I did
Nothing surprising has happened at any otb tourney I've ever been to, but I enjoy reading about this kind of stuff so keep it coming.
I'm going to an otb tourney in March so maybe I'll have a story of my own to share, but you never know.