Play in the lowest section you can.
Probably almost everybody will disagree with me, though.
#1366, if you try, you could do really well in u/1400.
Then, next time, play u/1600, not because you want to but because you have to. :)
which section should I play in?
Sort:
If you have 20 rated games that means you played in at least 2 tourn. so far, how did you fare against people higher rated then you? this should give you some idea. i agree with rooperi, play in the under 1400 section and see how you do if you do well then you will be ready for the under 1600 section next time good luck
Playing in D will be a more pleasent experience but if you play in C and then analyse your games with a strong player you will get beaten up a lot - but learn a lot.
Hey! What's going on here? You're all supposed to disagree with me and tell him he'll learn more by losing against 1600's than beating 1200's
Just to mollify roop'.
Play in the U1600 unless you're under 14 or like playing against the kiddies.
Dec 23, 2013
0
#7
If you aspire to win the tournament (perhaps there's a considerable prize?), then it's obviously class D. But in any other case join class C and give yourself a challenge. You learn a lot more by playing stronger players, as they are less liable to forgive your mistakes and they force you to try harder. That's why nearly all chess trainers suggest playing against players slightly stronger than yourself.
GagarinGambit wrote:
If you aspire to win the tournament (perhaps there's a considerable prize?), then it's obviously class D. But in any other case join class C and give yourself a challenge. You learn a lot more by playing stronger players, as they are less liable to forgive your mistakes and they force you to try harder. That's why nearly all chess trainers suggest playing against players slightly stronger than yourself.
I think that argument is a little flawed. The tournament is probaly a swiss, and he'll just find himself at the bottom of the pack playing against the other u/1400's who are playing up. But in this case, you play to avoid a bad placing, instead of trying to get a good one.
Dec 23, 2013
0
#9
bigpoison wrote:
Just to mollify roop'.
Play in the U1600 unless you're under 14 or like playing against the kiddies.
To be fair, you and I had this exact discussion, a few years ago. I advised the lowest section possible, advice that you didn't take. In retrospect, how do you think that worked out?
Dec 23, 2013
0
#10
I don't know if this makes a difference, but my goal is to become a 1500 rated player by June 2014.
Doggy_Style wrote:
bigpoison wrote:
Just to mollify roop'.
Play in the U1600 unless you're under 14 or like playing against the kiddies.
To be fair, you and I had this exact discussion, a few years ago. I advised the lowest section possible, advice that you didn't take. In retrospect, how do you think that worked out?
I guess it depends on how you want to look at it. My best record is against 1500s. I, for some reason, struggle against class D players:
| Rating | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | % score | Rating | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | % score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50.0 | 1100 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50.0 | |||
| 1200 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 1200 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 1300 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 1300 | ||||||||
| 1400 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 31.3 | 1400 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||
| 1500 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 50.0 | 1500 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 66.7 | ||
| 1600 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25.0 | 1600 | |||||||
| 1700 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 1700 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 35 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 32.9 |
Dec 23, 2013
0
#12
GasPedal wrote:
lotz of factors...r there a lot of kids in your section, or is it mostly adults? is it a high entry fee (> $80)? is it a big money tournament (winner gets > $1K)? is there a fee to move up? r u a kid improving and studying a lot? in the advanced entries, r a lot of others moving up (more than 20%)? r u looking more for money or for rating point gain? r u booked up?
Answers to those questions
The entry fee is $80, the winner gets $600, there is no fee to move up, I am an adult player that studies 1 hour a day, not many people have signed up in advance, and I am more concerned about rating point gain. I don't fully understand "R u booked Up?"
$600 is pretty much! Stay in Class D :D
Dec 24, 2013
0
#14
Right now this is my current USCF record. Yes I know it sucks, but at least it motivates me to do better in the upcoming year. I've also made my final decision to play in Class D so that I can raise my percentage win against 1200 and 1300 rated players.
| Lifetime (since 1991) Record | Last 12 Months | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | % score | Rating | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | % score | |
| UNR | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | UNR | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 1100 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 1100 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | |||||
| 1200 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 75.0 | 1200 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | ||||
| 1300 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25.0 | 1300 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25.0 | |||
| 1400 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 35.7 | 1400 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 35.7 | |
| 1500 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 66.7 | 1500 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | ||||
| 1600 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 1600 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 1800 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 1800 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 1900 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 1900 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | |||||
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 37.5 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 31.3 | |||
There is a tournament coming up that offers all of the following sections:
Master (2200+)
Expert (U2200)
Class A (U2000)
Class B (U1800)
Class C (U1600)
Class D (U1400)
Class E (U1200)
Players have the option to play one section higher than what they are designated for. I am currently a measely 1366 player USCF with only 20 rated tournament games of experience. Which section is better for me to play in, C or D?