Why don't you go to tournaments?

As someone who is trying to host tournaments, especially those aimed at the "low end" of the chess spectrum, I'm going to be asking what it might take to get more people to a tournament.  If you are reading this, you are probably a chess enthusiast, but some of you don't go to "live" events.  I want to change that, at least for some people.  If there are barriers, I want to bring them down, to the extent possible.

Here are some ideas I think might be keeping people away from tournaments, and some ideas about what to do about them.  I'm looking for comments on these and suggestions for others.

1.  Cost -  This has been debated so extensively and is so well known that I don't want it here.  Any tournament I run will have a cost approximately equal to going to a movie.

2.  Rated play only -  As odd as it may seem to some, I think there are people who don't like the whole rating system.  I know when I started playing, I lost a lot of games.  It's really stressful keeping a scorecard and watching a time clock, and until you get used to it, your game suffers badly.  As a result, I, a 45 year old man, went to a few tournaments with a 300 rating.  And before a game, what happens?  A guy filling in the spots on his scoresheet asks, "What's your rating?"  I didn't really enjoy saying "300".  (Now it's up to 700, which some people still sneer at, but I don't feel embarrassed.  Your milage may vary.)

Also, rated games require USCF membership.  That adds to cost.  I think it would be better to have unrated sections.  Of course, there's an outreach problem, but that's another story.

3.  Chess tournaments are boring.

That's an odd thing to say in a Chess forum, but there's some truth to it.  If I want to play Chess, I can do so on the internet pretty well.  The reason I would choose an OTB tournament is less abbout the Chess, and more about the people.  Interacting with a real human being is more fun than with a computer screen.  At the tourneys I attend, though, the games end, maybe there is an award ceremony, and everyone goes home. I want to do some things that actually increase the human interaction between real people.  I've decided that a skittles room is very important, and that the skittles should stay open after the tournament is over.  I would like to see opportunities to hang out after the games are done.

And, dare I say it, after the tournament is over, maybe we could play a game other than Chess?  Am I the only player in the world who thinks Chess is one great game out of many?  Yes, it has some things that make it special, but come on, how about some diversity?  Of course, I'm content with a 700 rating, too.  Maybe that's related.  So, for me, knowing that would happen would be a positive feature that would make me look forward to a tournament.  Am I alone in that thought?

4.  Everyone's better than me

I hear this one a lot from people who only play in coffeehouse clubs.  I think it's an unfortunate problem.  For one thing, if all of these people came, then there would be other crummy players. 

I'm not sure how to get around this problem.  I think the steps above would all appeal more to people who, frankly, aren't all that good at chess, and who might like to be better, but can't get all excited about the idea.

So, what else keeps you away?  If you don't go to tourneys, what might make you decide to change?

I think it boils down to time, cost, distance, and the fact that chess is difficult and pretty damn boring compared to other sports and games. I have a friend who won't play in tournaments because of cost -- entry fee plus USCF membership fee. Then there is the issue of proximity; some people don't want to drive 20+ miles and spend all day playing chess.

I don't understand why tournaments have to be an all day affair anyway. I'm playing in one this Saturday and rounds go from 10 AM to 5 PM. It sucks. Who wants to see a game between two exhausted players? Why not spread it out, like one game every Saturday for a month? It seems like everyone benefits -- people aren't tired so the level of play is potentially better, and casual players aren't turned off by the idea of playing chess for an entire day.

I love it, but I don't do it so often, just because I haven't got enough spare time.

(Family situation)

Compared with OTB, internet chess is just crap! 

First of all, let me just say thanks for trying to make tournaments better !

I've only been to one chess tournament in my life.  It was held in the basement of a library.  There were no windows, players were crammed elbow to elbow, and there was barely enough room to squeeze your way between the long rows of tables.  One look at that, and I just turned around and walked out.

Maybe this is just a "woman thing", but the playing environment of the tournament would be the most important thing to me.  I want my chess games to be pleasant experiences, not some tests I have to endure in order to gain or lose ratings points.  In fact, the chess tournament I mentioned above reminded me more of an SAT exam room than anything else.

Amy

I much prefer OTB tournaments...I go to as many as i can.  And dont worry about what your rating is.  Its only a number, and doesnt define who or what you are as a person.  If someone is going to look at you differently simply because of a chess rating, then there issues are bigger then any you have.

What prevented me from going to tournaments for a long time was not knowing what to expect from it. I was confused on what memberships I needed and all that and I think there was not even a club close to where I lived. However, when a new club opened, one that was fairly close, I looked into it and started playing OTB. It turned out to be a nice experience.

You know, I've been away from chess for 40 years and am just getting back.

Some things, just don't change much.

I learned chess in the "Radio Days" (early 1950ies)...before people had a TV. Chess has changed, from the perspective of the computer and the internet...that is certain.

However, the discussion here reminds me that I could have awakened from a 40 years deep sleep...like Rip Van Winkle...and find myself at home, in the nuts-and-bolts of the chess world...especially in regard to tournaments.

Is this good or bad...something that could be improved upon? Shakespeare would have loved that question.

P.S.: I'll wager that if Shakepeare had played chess in his day, he would "fit right in" today, as well. And, I'll bet he didn't have a TV either.

Just the opposite. You're unlucky if you can't! Most tournaments are held in metropolitan, high population areas -- places where there are lots of people. So, there are lots of people for whom tournaments are very close to them. I can get 6 USCF rated tournament games per month within 6 miles of my house and 4 more per month less than 30 miles away.

If you live in an area where there are no tournaments, but there are chess players. Sign up to be a director and make a tournament. It's actually quite easy.

I play in local tournaments all the time, but nothing major. Only 20-30 people show up regularly. Better than nothing, I guess. :)

Cost - this is the KEY factor. Cost relates to: USCF membership fees, tournament entry fees, travel/gasoline fees, food costs, possible hotel costs, equipment costs.

Distance - nearest tourneys are 30+ miles away at a chess excellence centre (which also charges a USD 80 annual membership fee on top of the USCF and tourney entry fees).

Prizes - usually not that inspiring and unlikely to be won by anyone like myself. I will almost certainly come out of any tournament well out-of-pocket.

Ignorance - I've yet to go to an OTB tourney and I have only some idea what to expect there. My ignorance will probably count against me.

Experience - I've little experience playing at full time controls, using chess clocks (I'll probably forget to press it), and keeping scoresheets. It's a bit overwhelming.

Time - it could eat up 2 or 3 whole days.

Schachgeek, I'm not sure what running a scholastic event has to do with you getting to play in more tournaments (unless you're a scholastic player ).

In the monthly tournaments I play in, the director almost always plays.

They also have entry fees from $5 - $30, give away a large majority of the entry fees 60-80% as prizes and don't lose money. In scholastic events, where the prizes are trophies instead of cash, I've never seen an event lose money. I directed a handful of tournaments a few years back and never lost money.

I don't understand how the USCF -- an organization that is barely financially solvent -- is supposed to be footing the bill to run tournaments. It would cost the USCF much more to pay for a tournament than it would cost the local organization due to the extra bureaucracy necessary to make sure they are getting a fair deal. Sorry I missed your discussion of this in another thread.

"what it might take to get more people to a tournament...?"

There are two kinds of people, people who know that chess tournaments exist, and those who don't.  The first group is roughly equivalent to those who have been to tournament at some time. Don't think that since you live in Detroit, there are 3 million potential attendees.  So maybe the question is why people who have been, don't go anymore?  Answer: Chess tournaments are not warm and fuzzy.  Physical discomforts--already mentioned; and psychological discomforts--also already mentioned.

Make a list of how your tournament is going to make those two things as small as possible. Then make a strategy to convice people to check out your "new kind" of tournament.

time distance and money.  i cant afford to spend the cash for USCF membership, entry fee, motel room, gas, food, smokes, and other expenses just to lose my section, or god-be-praised i win and my reward is only a fraction of the money it cost me to get to and enter the tournament.  i live in a chess poor area, the only tournaments are usually a minimum of a two hour drive away.  internet chess is like eating a burger when you CAN have steak (OTB) but cant justify spending the extra cash on rib-eye. 

For me, it's none of the things that the OP lists -- it's strictly a matter of time.  Even a relatively fast time control like G/45 is going to require an entire day of participation for a 4-5 round tournament.  As a father, homeowner, and businessman, I just don't have that amount of leisure available to commit to a game.  I wouldn't really be playing at all if it wasn't for the blessing of Internet chess.

 I agree.  However, it's so key that I'm taking it as a given.  If I can't run a tournament for approximately the cost of a movie, I don't run it.  Fortunately, Chess is cheap.  I've held one rated USCF tournament, and one scholastic.  Both cost 10 bucks.  One broke even, one made about 200 bucks.

i get a constant competition on chess.com, any more would be to much.  usually they rate close to me and my ability, more fun that way

 I won't be holding my tournaments in a hotel.  You can't do a ten dollar tournament in a hotel.  (At least, not in normal times.  With the recession, they might be renting for dirt cheap in some places.)

This is interesting.  On some level, a chess tournament is inherently a "test".  In the playing hall, it must be mostly silent most of the time, and people will definitely be concentrating deeply.  My wife can't stand going to them even when our son is playing because it's just too tense for her, but I think that is unavoidable.  I think it is inherent to the activity.

On the other hand, there's no reason you have to be crammed like sardines.  The physical environment can be better, and I have decided that there must be a pleasant place to sit between rounds, after your games are over.  I've been to some tournaments where that wasn't available, and it made things much less pleasant.

For me, personally, the more relaxed, less stressful, after tournament play of chess, other board games, backgammon, or cards is something I would definitely flock to.  It would be a major incentive for me to attend.  However, experience shows that at least among regular chess attendees, that makes me the odd man out.

here's my ideal chess tournament:

- takes place in a clean but inexpensive hotel

- happens on a friday-through-saturday

- games are shorter (like 60/15 - 60 minutes per side with 15 second increment)

- more "personality" in them. awards for awesome games. a little comedy show :) interesting personalities doing entertaining analysis. a social mixer where people introduce themselves.

they are often dirty, boring, and impersonal. yawn.

I see so many posts about not having time???

What is so important that so many cant give a 2-3 days for a chess tournament?  I work full time and i find time.  I read an article recently that said the new red badge of courage is bragging about how busy we are. 

People...relax....slow down...take time to enjoy life.