What They Don't Tell You About Your First Chess Tournament | 5 Things that Surprised Me OTB 

Another one is playing when you don't want to. Online, you can always shut your computer but you have an obligation in OTB chess to play a game at a certain time. This can be challenging when the tournament is not going well.

Great video man. Good to get advice from someone who JUST did what you're about to do. This is something that us who have been playing 20ish years can't say. Keep up stuff like this.

This was really informative. Thanks! (I'm over 50, so I played 3d OTB most of my life, but never in a tournament where I had to notate moves... I wish my city had a chess club so I could attempt it.)

Outstanding video. Great explanation of the psychological aspects that one would not be ready for in the switch from computer to OTB games.

You should treat a classical game like a test. Bring good snacks and you should also get up periodically to refresh your brain and perspective. Also try and have a chess buddy to do online virtual OTB practice games to help you with 3D vision. Let's say a time control of at least 25min with 5sec delay. Setup your board and when your friend makes a move online you move the piece on a physical board and write down the moves. After you move on the physical board make the move online. Obviously this is easier if it own an electronic chess board but it's not 100% needed. Lastly if your opponent is an adult ask them if they want to go over the game in a side room. It's constructive and fun to get opponents perspective on the game.

Good video. I played a bunch of OTB tournaments back in the 80-90s. My very first was in Washington DC (1982), where I ended up playing against one of the top rated women in the US at the time, Joan Schlich. Got my ass kicked, but it was fun learning the process and having her go over the game at the end. Going to other tournaments was great because I had the opportunity to watch several GMs like Sammy Reshevsky, and others in one in LA.

This was a really enjoyable video! You're definitely right. The difference between 2d and 3d calculation, and the psychological aspect of it were things that hadn't been covered in other videos I've seen. I have my first tournament (only rapid, not classical) coming up in a few days, so this was great advice!

Good stuff!

Great video, I played my first tournament at 35yo last year and experienced many of the same issues. Trying to slow down and not play at the pace of my opponent when they play quickly is one piece of advice I can offer!

The thing about pieces obscuring others is absolutely true. In one of my first OTB tournament games, I played a poor move because one of my pawns was hiding behind my own king and I didn't see it. It sounds stupid but there it is. Actually when I joined a chess club, I was stunned by how large the tournament pieces are compared with a home set!

Great video! I had the opposite situation; after years of playing tournments, The Internet and Chess computers were invented. I play online by transfering the moves to my standard tourament set, and play and record the game as usual. I also only play classical time controls, which limits how many humans are willing to play me.

Good job! When I first played in a chess tournament, Bobby Fischer had recently won the World Championship (1972). Unlike most of your viewers, up until then I had never played a weak opponent (Dad and older brothers only). Some more observations: 1. Your first opponent may be much stronger or much weaker than you. This is true whether your opponent is 80 or 8, female or male, and even experienced or new. But most OTB tournament players are stronger than casual players. 2. Know that some opponents will not be polite. Vent any anger with your good moves. No rage moves or rage quits. 3. You don't have to resign. But if your opponent is clearly beating you (say, up two pieces), you may want to conserve your energy for the next game and resign. If you want to keep playing, keep playing. 4. You can refuse a draw offer. It often (usually) means your winning chances are better. Some pawnless end games are dead drawn. My rule is I don't accept a draw offer unless it's clear to me it's dead drawn, or I am dead tired (twice in 50 years). 5. You will lose some games due to face-to-face pressure. You will also probably win some games for the same reason. 6. After the tournament, look up the games in an openings database and/or chess engine. See that you did make some brilliant moves, as did your opponents. And some painful ones, 7. Have fun! Almost all players are both there to have fun and are very competitive.

All he says is true and very important; This also results in you LOSING more often, these variables have a much bigger effect on those who wrongly think; “ I am ready and I am going to surprise a lot of people on how GOOD I am “ -- NOT!! The face to face, over the board is a massive change, but -- it is a SO MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE! Your online level is DEFINITELY NOT. As GOOD when you play your first HANDFUL of over the board games!! You still can gain a lot of insight and LEARN how to use online chess in a BETTER WAY- to help improve your REAL CHESS ( over the board)!

And….Great video!

Yeah I just realized about that 2d vs 3d thing that because of online chess I am forever centering my pieces OTB since I learned chess originally from an actual board a lot of this video actually "bounces off" but that one hits rather hard 🤦🤦🤦😭😭😭

This is gold

last weekend went for my first otb tournament (at age 30) That was rapid chess tournament, so judge said it's not mandatory to note down the moves. Also very frustrating thing about otb chess is that noone has to notify you if you're checked. And then you have to move the piece you touched. This way my crushing game turned into a draw. And yes, it could be hurtfull for many to lose to 10 year old kids

ya I need to start writing moves down. I hear that really helps you visualize the board when you learn the squares.

I played in my first OTB classical tournament last week. I very much agree with everything in this video, i know I did not hold a poker face when after blundering. In addition, somethings that greatly improved my experience, I went with a team of players from my school, but if that's not possible, I highly recommend going with a friend so that you can prep openings and review games together. Furthermore, if your opponent is up for it, review the game with them after, you can learn your mistakes and their thought process while playing. The BIG thing for me was having the mental state to push through a difficult game. After playing for 2-3 hours and being in a losing/worse position, it's natural to want to feel to give up, and start slacking in calculation/spotting tactics, but never give up. In my round 4 game I made a mistake that I thought cost me the game, but I was still +2 reviewing in engine after the game, so I learned that I should play my best in the moment, regardless of the game so far or my opponent.

Great insightful video! I'm curious what your elo is.

Thank you for the insight! Planning to get to 1500 and I’m 9 elo away from 1200

I learned chess 64 years ago and played it for about 25 years OTB. Then I had a break before starting to play online when online first started, which was about 10 years later, which I also gave up after a few years. I've recently started playing online again, and last month I joined a club and started playing OTB. I can say that my "OTB skills" hadn't disappeared. Notation was still automatic, and I haven't been put off by any of the other elements. Now, if I can just get back to my former strength...

Interesting perspective (to me). You played in a tournament while you were still fairly new to OTB, so some of what you're describing is about OTB and some is about formal games and tournaments. Anyone who played chess before about 1995 was playing OTB and most people who played formal games had been playing informally OTB for a while beforehand, so your trajectory seems novel, but I realise it's probably quite common.

I wanted ask if my chess set is acceptable to bring to an OTB tournament. It’s the Official World Set Studio Set which is said to be about 13% smaller overall than the official world chess set, the set used by FIDE tournaments. Thank you

Thank you very much for the video. I’m going to my first tournament in 3 days. I have a question, why should we notate our moves in the tournament? Do we take the sheets with us home or the Tournament organizers take them?

Good video. OTB, longer time control, so much more thinking time. Can be mentally draining! And think on this. 3 minute game online, one mistake doesn't matter too much, on to the next game. But now make that same mistake after 3 HOURS of concentration. 😢 You should have played "back in the day" when i started (late 1970s). Smoking FFS! You try seeing the board through a haze of smoke! 🙂.

I was surprised at how exhausting my first tournament was. This was in the 1970's so it was hard to even get a game against anyone near my playing ability at home (90% of the games I played I destroyed my opponent, the other 10% my opponent destroyed me), so tournaments had more of an appeal to me then than they do now.

You can join a chess club to get practice in playing RL chess

Not only is it 3D v 2D…the computer perfectly places every piece in the middle of the square facing the same direction. With OTB play the pieces get all askew.

I've been playing at a club for a couple months to get over the face-to-face anxiety. Did you do that before the tournament? (edit: I'm trying to find the courage to do my first OTB tournament at 52) Edit 2: I recently played a club game where my opponent made an illegal move while I was distracted by recording the moves and did not even notice the godlike power of the right illegal move (mated in 18 moves)

i have no time to play otb tourneys

so how'd it go?

I can't stand the 3d vs the 2d - also hate having to notate. Not having access to music. Etc

You’re going to play and lose to children. Just get ready for that.

DRRRRRRRRR I cant believe the real world is in 3D!!!! DRRRRRRRRRRRRR