How do I play in a LOW level tournament?

USArmyParatrooper View Profile

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24 Jul '10 15:04

PureRWandB
CCC Club Leader
Denver, CO
Joined
23 Feb '03
Moves
57012
26 Jul '10 00:061 edit
USArmyParatrooper ... Go for it! I just came back from my first USCF sanctioned tournament last Saturday and had a great time.

Thank you for serving in our great military.
You might be able to play in/start a chess tournament on base.
Check this site out, it might help you to the right people to get it started.

http://www.usmilitarychess.org/calendar.html
greenpawn34
e4
Joined
06 May '08
Moves
42492
26 Jul '10 00:23
Hi PureRWandB

Post one of your OTB games from the tournament. The first game you had.

Been a while since I saw an RHP lads OTB game.

I'm going potty looking at these 1400 games - I'm thinking that some of
the lads have had their board switch off and were making moves at randon.
(love them really but want to see a game where nobody hangs their King.)
gorookyourself
Joined
20 Jul '10
Moves
1072
26 Jul '10 00:40
Originally posted by JS357
I don't see how you can get a real fide/elo rating except by competing in sanctioned events against players that have elo ratings but I can think of two things you can do. You can get an estimate at http://ratings.fide.com/calculator_rp.phtml but it requires having a history (a few games) against FIDE rated players. There is another informal approach at.

http://www.chessmaniac.com/ELORating/ELO_Chess_Rating.shtml
It rated me 1850 😏

Which is about 300 points too high.
nimzo5
Ronin
Hereford Boathouse
Joined
08 Oct '09
Moves
29575
26 Jul '10 13:06
Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
I actually want to attend OTB tournaments. There's a chess club who meets at Barns & Nobel every Monday out here, so I think I'm going to start there.

no1, thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

I'm in podunk Fort Bragg, NC. Not very likely a tournament will hit my area?
congrats on stepping up to play OTB-
be prepared for the following;

75% of your opponents will be scholastic players
the final sunday round of tournaments are brutal- your brain will be mush, your result will be likely meaningless and you are just playing for pride and rating points.
don't accept draws unless you are losing or about to get flagged on time.. you can bet your opponent won't.
know your rules- be able to demonstrate an insufficient losing chances claim
know how to claim a 3x rep
know what to do if you opponent makes an illegal move.

lastly be aware that time controls are short these days- g/30 to g90+30 sec are the norms so that most tournaments can be done in a weekend.

all this aside, nothing like OTB

good luck!
Mad Rook
Joined
19 Jun '06
Moves
847
26 Jul '10 13:281 edit
Good advice for your 1st tournament:

http://danheisman.home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/EnhanceTnmt.html

Other useful tourney info here:

http://danheisman.home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/tournaments.html
toeternitoe
Joined
28 Mar '10
Moves
3807
26 Jul '10 13:47
Originally posted by Mad Rook
Good advice for your 1st tournament:

http://danheisman.home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/EnhanceTnmt.html

Other useful tourney info here:

http://danheisman.home.comcast.net/~danheisman/Events_Books/tournaments.html
Are you Dan Heisman? 😉

toet.
Mad Rook
Joined
19 Jun '06
Moves
847
26 Jul '10 15:04
Originally posted by toeternitoe
Are you Dan Heisman? 😉

toet.
Sometimes I wonder...

But no, I'm not Dan. (He would HATE to have my rating) 🙂

It's just that he puts so much great stuff on his web site, all absolutely free. I've never met him, other than a few e-mails. I'm not related to him and don't get paid for my advertising efforts. 😉 I have some of his books that I paid for with my own money. (Rats! )
Paul Leggett
Chess Librarian
The Stacks
Joined
21 Aug '09
Moves
113572
26 Jul '10 23:39
Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi PureRWandB

Post one of your OTB games from the tournament. The first game you had.

Been a while since I saw an RHP lads OTB game.

I'm going potty looking at these 1400 games - I'm thinking that some of
the lads have had their board switch off and were making moves at randon.
(love them really but want to see a game where nobody hangs their King.)
I'm playing in the Southern Open in Florida, USA this weekend, and I'll post my most interesting game. I'm praying it's a win...
toeternitoe
Joined
28 Mar '10
Moves
3807
27 Jul '10 14:22
Originally posted by Mad Rook
Sometimes I wonder...

But no, I'm not Dan. (He would HATE to have my rating) 🙂

It's just that he puts so much great stuff on his web site, all absolutely free. I've never met him, other than a few e-mails. I'm not related to him and don't get paid for my advertising efforts. 😉 I have some of his books that I paid for with my own money. (Rats! )
You should ask a commision 😀

Seriously,in the past I read some of his novice nook's.Good stuff,well worth plugging imo

Paul,post them all.The forum will judge which one is the most interesting 😛

toet.
shorbock
Joined
17 Mar '08
Moves
1568
28 Jul '10 09:35
Originally posted by gorookyourself
It rated me 1850 😏

Which is about 300 points too high.
2195 ! around 150 points too much
But i took a bit more than the 5 minutes allowed for some of them.
still don't have a clue about n°10
toeternitoe
Joined
28 Mar '10
Moves
3807
28 Jul '10 09:45
Originally posted by shorbock
2195 ! around 150 points too much
But i took a bit more than the 5 minutes allowed for some of them.
still don't have a clue about n°10
Yes,that was a tough one.I didn't see anything going on,and still don't,so just went with Re8,improving a piece,as that's what I would do in a game.

toet.
shorbock
Joined
17 Mar '08
Moves
1568
28 Jul '10 09:56
Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
I have no official rating and I know nothing of the chess world outside playing casual players OTB and playing online. My RHP rating is about 1500 and change, so I'm thinking my actual OTB rating would be in the 1300's (due to lack of experience).

I've heard of "FIDA" and "ELO" ratings, which I assume are chess organizations? Do I sign up with ...[text shortened]... prefer to start at my level so I don't get completely spanked and shake my confidence.
Back to the post :

I've watched your current games : impressive progress in a few months !

I'd clearly rate you above 1300 OTB, rather around 1700, maybe more (depends on how much time you take for your moves here too!)
PureRWandB
CCC Club Leader
Denver, CO
Joined
23 Feb '03
Moves
57012
29 Jul '10 02:51
Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi PureRWandB

Post one of your OTB games from the tournament. The first game you had.

Been a while since I saw an RHP lads OTB game.

I'm going potty looking at these 1400 games - I'm thinking that some of
the lads have had their board switch off and were making moves at randon.
(love them really but want to see a game where nobody hangs their King.)
EVENT 2010 Steel City Summer Sizzler
SITE Pueblo, CO
DATE 07/17/10
WHITE Rob-unrated
BLACK Alexander-1563
RESULT 1-0
WHITEELO
BLACKELO 1563
Invert Board PGN Headers
[Event "2010 Steel City Summer Sizzler"]
[Site "Pueblo, CO"]
[Date "07/17/10"]
[White "Rob-unrated"]
[Black "Alexander-1563 "]
[WhiteRating ""]
[BlackRating "1563"]
[WhiteELO ""]
[BlackELO "1563"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Position White "Ke1,Qd1,Ra1,Rh1,Bc1,Bf1,Nb1,Ng1,a2,b2,c2,d2,e2,f2,g2,h2"]
[Position Black "Ke8,Qd8,Ra8,Rh8,Bc8,Bf8,Nb8,Ng8,a7,b7,c7,d7,e7,f7,g7,h7"]
[Topic "My first USCF Tournament : I was unrated and Alexander was rated 1563"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. O-O Qb6 8. a4 Ne7 9. Nc3 Nf5 10. Be3 Nxe3 11. fxe3 Qxb2 12. Ne2 Qb6 13. Ng5 Be7 14. Rb1 Qc7 15. Nxf7 O-O 16. Nh6 gxh6 17. Nf4 Qd7 18. Qg4 Kh8 19. Nxe6 Rxf1 20. Rxf1 Rg8 21. Qf5 cxd4 22. exd4 Qe8 23. Nf4 Bxa4 24. e6 Bg5 25. Qe5 Rg7 26. Nxd5 Bxc2 27. Rf7 Qg8 28. Ne7 Bxe7 29. Rxe7 Bg6 30. Rxb7 Qf8 31. e7 Qg8 32. Rb8 Be8 33. d5 Qf7 34. d6 Qh5 35. Qxh5 Rg8 36. Qe5 Rg7

With 30 seconds left on my clock, and spectators multiplying around our board, Black attempted 34... Bc6
(I'm assuming he would follow up with 37... Rg2+) but his bishop was pinned.
I caught it and didn't know what to do, so in ignorance and with some adrenaline, I grabbed his King and tipped it over.
Tournament Director (TD) who happens to be User 401756 came over, stopped the clock and gave me an extra 2 minutes, and then we resumed play. Black quickly blunders, then he respectfully resigns shortly after.

One of the most exciting games I ever played.
I won the game, but more importantly, I hope I will eventually win a new chess friend in that opponent.
Mad Rook
Joined
19 Jun '06
Moves
847
29 Jul '10 11:06
Originally posted by PureRWandB
[pgn][Event "2010 Steel City Summer Sizzler"]
[Site "Pueblo, CO"]
[Date "07/17/10"]
[White "Rob-unrated"]
[Black "Alexander-1563 "]
[WhiteRating ""]
[BlackRating "1563"]
[WhiteELO ""]
[BlackELO "1563"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Position White "Ke1,Qd1,Ra1,Rh1,Bc1,Bf1,Nb1,Ng1,a2,b2,c2,d2,e2,f2,g2,h2"]
[Position Black "Ke8,Qd8,Ra8,Rh8,Bc8,Bf8,Nb8,Ng8,a7,b7 ...[text shortened]... y, I hope I will eventually win a new chess friend in that opponent.
I'm just starting to look at the French Defense, so this game was interesting to me. It looks like you went into an unusual line, either by design or accident, and your opponent maybe didn't handle it the best way, kind of letting his pieces get all bottled up. But I'm really surprised that he (a 1500 USCF rated) wasted time grabbing the b-pawn, and he willingly traded off his king's knight for White's e3 bishop, thereby opening the f-file for White's attack. (All before he had a chance to castle into safety)

Anyway, nice attacking game! Good job.

Also, what was the time control? I'm guessing game between 30 and 60 minutes?
no1marauder
Naturally Right
Somewhere Else
Joined
22 Jun '04
Moves
42677
29 Jul '10 22:18
Originally posted by PureRWandB
[pgn][Event "2010 Steel City Summer Sizzler"]
[Site "Pueblo, CO"]
[Date "07/17/10"]
[White "Rob-unrated"]
[Black "Alexander-1563 "]
[WhiteRating ""]
[BlackRating "1563"]
[WhiteELO ""]
[BlackELO "1563"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Position White "Ke1,Qd1,Ra1,Rh1,Bc1,Bf1,Nb1,Ng1,a2,b2,c2,d2,e2,f2,g2,h2"]
[Position Black "Ke8,Qd8,Ra8,Rh8,Bc8,Bf8,Nb8,Ng8,a7,b7 ...[text shortened]... y, I hope I will eventually win a new chess friend in that opponent.
Next time something like that happens, immediately stop the clock, say to your opponent "That's an illegal move" and get the TD.

If someone went to tip over my King, they'd be out an arm.

EVENT	2010 Steel City Summer Sizzler
SITE	Pueblo, CO
DATE	07/17/10
WHITE	Rob-unrated
BLACK	Alexander-1563
RESULT	1-0
WHITEELO
BLACKELO	1563

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How do I play in a LOW level tournament?