To improve at OTB play, I generally tried to play as many tournaments as possible, practiced tactics puzzles on the computer (two good CDs are Chess Tactics for Beginners and Chess Tactics for Intermediate Players), as well as study the endgames appropriate for my level (Silman's Complete Endgame Course), and then to use the database in Fritz to find games between strong players (2400+) that use my openings and then to study those. The results have been decent, In the almost 3 years since I started studying, my rating improved from 1100 USCF to a bit under 1900 USCF