how to prepare for OTB tournie?

I'm surprised that you arrived early and still got the bye. In my experience, a player arriving late usually gets the bye. Was it a full point bye or a half point bye?

Why do tournaments always start late in Peru? two hours late is really bad management.

help what should i do against theis strange openings?

Occupy the centre: 2.d4

Again, put a pawn in the centre.

it was a full point bye.

i dont really know why, nothing is ever organized in Peru (their are four lanes of cars in a tree lane road) i have a friend who once went to a tourni that started 6 hours late!?!

Well now, 1. f4 throws most of the first move advantage away, so really you're just playing for equality. 3. Nf3 e5 4. fxe5 Nxe5 5. Be2 is fine.

p.s. I don't really know Bird's Opening but maybe someone else can suggest a way of playing for advantage. The only thing that tickles me is playing an early d4, getting a sort of Stonewall set-up.

So, you're on 1.5/2 now, right?

How many rounds? how many entrants?

yes i have 1.5/2.0

i am going to play at least 6 more games maybe more, there are 24 entrants.

(im going to play an english for my next game)

i am still provisionally rated OTB, played my first 2 OTB tournaments last year. going to my third in a few months, so i am not far from where you are and can relate. Many ppl gave the same advice i would give, sleep and eating brkfast are probably the most controllable aspects, and the things you should focus on. other preps will come with experience (meaning you'll know what u need next time b/c the previous time). w/ 1st tourney i suggest not "wasting" too much time on specific opening or positional preparations b/c you might not see anything you studied, and this can be a psychological distraction. Get up hours before the 1st round and eat well and relax before start. May you have king safety for your K and loose kings from your opponent's. P.S. USE MOST OF THE TIME ALLOTTED TO YOU! When u find yr move, sit on yr hands, and look again (assuming this is standard time control tourney)

While the tournament is in progress indulge some interest that will clear your mind of chess (and the tourney).  A pretty girl would be ideal, but anything sufficiently absorbing will do.

Yesterday the games only started 1/2 hour late!! (wow)

the first game i played was against someone with an OTB ranking (1800) who i lost to 

my second game was against someone really bad and i beat him with still 45 minutes on my clock.

my first game today will probably be against my friend since we both have 2.5 points, it is his turn to be white, an my turn to be black.

and a bit of bad news, there is a FM in the tourni.

So it's just one big swiss-system tournament?

yep, like the live chess tournis exept with more rounds

How are you doing for points, against the others in your rating band? Are there any "Novices" with more than 2.5/4?

i think im the worst play with 2.5 and above. since ive already lost 1.5 points do you think i reallisticly have a chance at winning?

It's early days but 2.5/4 is a pretty good start for a novice, in an open section.

good news, the guy i lost to beat the FM witch means i might have a chance against him