Is it safe to go out to play chess tournaments?

But to be on the safe side, Play Online chess for the time being is the best option

Well I suppose so. But if you really want to be safe, just dont play at all. That way you could avoid all the risks associated with playing chess online. There comes a point where being safe does not outweigh the risks of living a normal life. 

Playing chess online is a bit like having restaurant food at home. The whole point is the experience, going out to the event and interacting with the people there. 

If we talk political wise in the US, there would be different answers. If you are a righty, you would say, "Yes," because COVID-19 is not that dangerous. But if you are a leftist, "No," because liberals think that COVID-19 is a dangerous virus. It usually depends on your POV.

I dont understand that. A view of the covid doesn't have anything to do with politics. I think it has more to do with what we personally experience, not politics. For example I have a friend who is a small business owner, who also happens to lean left quite a bit. She has been ruined, not by the virus, but by the reaction to the virus. From our experience (the people we know who have had the virus) it's now safe to go to tournaments. 

But I also think there are other considerations, like the reaction to the virus. Portland for example is not safe. The rioting and arson and crime as a reaction to the virus makes it NOT safe, in that area. So it just depends on where the tournament might be.

Depends on your location

I agree...

That is way too much common sense. It's only a matter of time before someones head explodes trying to understand what common sense even is. 

What is common sense? I believe we should all hole up in our houses like a hermit crab because obviously society will function that way

Yes. And hoard up food and toilet paper because we all need toilet paper and just stay in for the rest of our lives because this thing ain't going away.

until the vaccine comes out.

#be positive!

Lol, like people trust vaccines anymore.

5%

If you are scared to go out then you have your answer. If you have preexisting conditions, it probably isn’t a good idea either. However, if you are young and healthy and can stay away from the more vulnerable people in your life for awhile, go for it. I haven’t worn a mask since April and have been in and out of “hot spots” many times. Either I have not contracted it or did and was asymptomatic. On the other hand, I know people who are all gung ho about the masks but they think they are magic and fail to social distance and touch their masks all the time. These people are the ones getting sick in my personal experience. 

https://www.chess.com/club/stormbreakers/join Thx

What about the 35% who are not going to get a vaccine?

You can never be too cautious, as my mom says. (Also me.) If you think that it's not safe and you're too scared to go, then stay home and play online. No one's forcing you to do anything you don't want to do.

That's a good way to look at it. If someone feels like they aren't safe, they should take the necessary precautions. Good point about the oblivious mask wearers. I think that's called risk homeostasis. Risk compensation or behavior adaption also. It's a theory that as safety, or assumed safety increases, the willingness to take risks goes up. Every day we see people wearing masks that assume they are bulletproof. They think because of that alone, they need to do nothing else to protect from virus spread. So they will put on their mask before they go into the KwikiMart, open the door that hundreds of people have touched in the last few hours, buy their Lotto ticket, leave, using the same door hundreds of people have just touched. Take off their mask and then wipe their nose with their dirty hands. Nothing bad could happen there. 

I don't think that this will be going on forever. 

Playing an OTB tournament is fine. Just be careful.