How To Prepare For A Chess Tournament

Are you looking to sign up to play a chess tournament? That’s the spirit! Over-the-board (OTB) chess games are the ultimate test of chess skill.

However, if you are new to tournament chess, it may seem intimidating. Questions may be running through your mind such as:

• How strong will the other players be?
• What to expect at the playing venue?
• Are you going to fall foul of some esoteric rule or another?

This article is here to help. It has everything you need to face your next chess tournament with confidence.

The Tournament Format

The first part of your preparation is to choose which tournament to sign up for! 

The main considerations when selecting a chess tournament are:

• The time control. “Blitz” is the fastest time control, “rapid” is the medium time control, and “classical” is the longest time control.
• The number of games per day. Some tournaments spread the games out to give the players plenty of time off. This can be desirable for those travelling from afar, as it gives them the chance to see the city beyond the confines of the tournament hall! Other tournaments prefer to cram as much chess as possible into the days, which allows the tournament to be finished sooner.
• Rating categories. Tournaments with an ELO rating limit (e.g. “under 1200”, “under 1600”, “under 2000”) will result in more games against opponents close to your own level. There are also “open tournaments” where anyone of any level can participate.

All of these formats have different plusses and minuses. Each player develops their own preferences over time. Our advice is to try different formats and see which you like the best!

Acquaint Yourself With The Official Rules Of Chess

You may think you know the rules of chess, but even those who have been playing chess for a very long time can have gaps in their knowledge. For example:

• The correct way to castle your king. Pick up the king first, and then the rook - not the other way around, and not both at the same time! Check out our article on castling here.
• The touch-move rule. Serious chess tournaments will strictly enforce this rule. If you touch a piece, you will be obliged to move it.
• How to fill in your scoresheet. If playing a game under classical time controls, you must write down the moves of the game as they are played. In order to do so, you must know how chess notation works. Algebraic notation is most commonly used, and is the easiest to learn.
• The correct way to claim a draw by way of three-fold repetition. You must write down the move on your scorecard that would represent the three-fold repetition, and then call the arbiter to claim the draw. This is contrary to the (incorrect) belief held by many players, which is to make the move on the board and then claim the draw.

A great investment is The USCF Official Rules of Chess. This handy reference guide is the only book you need to learn all the rules that apply at USCF tournaments.

Know The Tournament Regulations

Beyond the official rules of chess, there will also be some tournament-specific rules in place.

The time control is particularly vital. Time controls vary from tournament to tournament. The author of this article has frequently played in “classical” tournaments featuring either:

• 90 minutes with a 30 second increment, with an extra 30 minutes added after move 40.
• 90 minutes with a 30 second increment, with no additional time added.

This is essential information to know before the game starts! It would be a terrible shock to think you were getting an extra 30 minutes added to your clock after move 40, and to manage your time accordingly, only to find out too late that it was not the case.

Another rule which varies from tournament to tournament is around draw offers. Some tournaments forbid draw offers before a certain number of moves have been played. Other tournaments do not have this restriction.

It is also worth knowing whether the tournament will be FIDE rated, or only nationally rated.

The key is to read the tournament regulations carefully, and pay close attention to what is said by the organizers in the pre-tournament briefing.

Check And Re-Check The Start Times

Make it a habit every day to carefully check what time you are due to play.

Common traps which often catch players out include:

• Days with a double-round. Chess tournaments which normally schedule just one classical game per day can often feature a day where instead two rounds are played. This helps fit the event into a shorter timeframe. 
• The final day of a classical tournament often starts in the morning. Even if the games on most days of the chess tournament start in the afternoon or evening, the final round on the final day is often scheduled for the morning. This is to allow those who have travelled for the tournament the chance to travel back home the same day.

Create Your Chess Tournament Pre-Game Checklist

It is very helpful to have a checklist to make sure you arrive at the board with everything you need to play your best possible chess. 

You have enough to think about in the game to come without worrying about forgetting something important before the battle even starts! A checklist will help make sure you remember every detail, every time.

Here is a handy pre-game check-list which you can use or adapt for yourself.

• Cellphone turned off. Putting your phone into flight mode is not a good substitute. Flight mode may stop most notifications, but so long as the phone is powered on, it remains possible that it could make a noise. Having an electronic device make any noise at all can result in an instant loss of the game. Don’t let that happen to you! Turning the phone off is the only way to ensure it makes no noise at all.
• Place your cellphone in a secure location, away from anywhere you can access it. Having first switched your phone off, you should then either hand it in to the tournament organizers, or keep it far from where you are playing, such as in a bag far from the board. This is in order to abide by anti-cheating protocols. There should be no question of you having access to any outside assistance during your games.
• Pen, and at least one spare. You need a pen to fill in your scoresheet. Bring at least two pens. The last thing you need in the middle of your game is the stress of having your pen run out of ink and having to rush around trying to find another one. Here’s a smart-looking pen which you can grab from the USCF store.
• Earplugs. Although chess tournaments are meant to be played in silence, in practice some venues fall short of this ideal. Your table may be close to the entrance of the playing hall, where noise from the outside can more easily filter in. There may be loud outside noise that the tournament organizers can do nothing about - for example, ambulance sirens or construction noise. The best way to block it all out is with your own set of high quality earplugs.
• Water bottle, filled with water. A long chess game can be thirsty work, and you should have enough water to last the whole game. It isn’t always possible to refill your bottle in the middle of the game. Even if it is possible to get a refill, doing so takes precious time.
• Snacks. The intense mental work involved in tournament chess can deplete your energy reserves. Try bringing muesli bars or a piece of fruit to give yourself a mid-game boost.
• Go to the bathroom immediately before the game starts. Taking your final bathroom break right before the game commences will save you from having to go later, thus saving valuable time on your clock.

Related: Grab a stylish tote bag to carry all your chess equipment to your next tournament.

Summary: Getting Ready For Your Next Chess Tournament

As you can see, there is quite a lot to consider in tournament chess!

It can seem overwhelming the first time you play. However, with time and experience you will soon find it all very normal.

Above all - do your best, and have fun!