For the US, you should sign up at the USCF (US Chess Federation) website, and for Canada, it’s the CFC (Canadian Federation of Chess). If you ever want to play in any international tournaments, you’ll also need to register for FIDE. This can usually be done by playing in a FIDE-rated tournament.
Many chess clubs also host unrated tournaments which you can participate in. You can also choose to play at a chess club weekly. This is a good way to get some experience without taking too much time out of your day. There are likely many experienced players at the chess club. Feel free to ask around if you have any questions! If you’re younger and still in school, you can join your school chess club, though the playing level will likely be lower and there will be fewer experienced players.
Come to the tournament prepared. You will often need a chess set and clock unless it’s a scholastic chess tournament. Once you arrive at the tournament, you’ll usually need to confirm that you’re there. Look for a sign-in table and, if you can’t find it, ask around. [2] X Research source Enjoy the experience. Chess tournaments can be stressful, so it’s helpful to foster a good relationship with them from the start. Stay to the end for the awards ceremony. You never know what you might get, especially if it’s a scholastic chess tournament.
One of the great aspects of playing chess competitively is traveling! Playing international tournaments is a rewarding experience in general, so be proud of yourself for coming this far!
You can get titles from some specific tournaments. For details, check the FIDE website. After you earn the title, you must be at a certain FIDE rating (the exact rating varies based on the title). If you’re not, the title will be awarded conditionally (i. e. , you won’t get the title until you reach the rating). If your rating drops after your title is awarded, you retain the title. This is not a rule, but it’s easier to get titles when you’re young, at youth tournaments.
If the clock is currently on the white player’s side, the black player can start the clock by pressing the play/stop button in the center.
This also applies in some tournaments when you’ve finished a game; if there’s no way for you to record the result, it probably means you should ask an arbiter to.
If your opponent doesn’t speak the same language as you or you don’t want to speak, a fool-proof way to resign is by stopping the clock (you can usually do this by pressing the play/stop button in the middle of the clock) and reaching your hand out to shake your opponent’s hand. You can also topple your king. [5] X Research source Be sure that you want to resign before doing so! If you’re not sure, it never hurts to play for a few more moves.
If your opponent doesn’t speak the same language as you (this is usually the case in international tournaments), you can offer a draw by forming a cross with your two index fingers and positioning your hands so that your opponent can see the cross. Only offer a draw right after making a move, and don’t offer one on your opponent’s time. Don’t pester your opponent with multiple draw offers. It’s annoying, and in some cases, your opponent may complain about it to you or a tournament arbiter.
To decline a draw offer, you can say something like “No thanks” or “I decline. " If you want to be more polite, you can try saying “Let’s play for a bit more” or “Sorry, not right now. " If your opponent doesn’t speak the same language as you, or you don’t want to speak, shaking your head will get the point across.
If you make an illegal move, you have to move the piece you attempted to move if a legal move is possible. If you accidentally touch a piece, the rule may not apply, but it has to be clear that it was an accident.
This rule does not apply before the game. If you want to adjust multiple pieces at once, you can say “I’m going to adjust some pieces” before going ahead and adjusting them. If your opponent doesn’t speak the same language as you, you can follow this procedure as well. Your opponent will probably understand that you’re trying to adjust a piece, given your actions and the fact that you said something. If you want to be extra clear, learn how to say “Adjust” or “I adjust” in your opponent’s language. For example, in French, this would be “J’adoube. "
There have been cases when players have let go of their piece but quickly touched their piece again in an attempt to play a different move. Be attentive when your opponent makes a move, and be careful yourself.
Also, note that you are allowed to bring small foods and drinks to the board. For example, you can bring some dark chocolate and a water bottle with you. Just don’t bring messy or large meals! Don’t be gone for too long, though, as your opponent might move when you’re not looking, causing you to lose time on your clock. Additionally, in some very rare cases, your opponent might get into mischief while you’re gone, such as by moving some of the pieces so that they win. So, it might help to remember the board position before you get up. Try not to venture outside the tournament hall. This can cause your opponent and the tournament arbiter(s) to be suspicious. In some cases, it’s outright banned.
Some people don’t like it when a person uses a piece they just captured to press the clock. It’s better to use your hand to press it, just to be safe. Keep an eye on the clock; you don’t want to run out of time! It may help to plan a time management strategy ahead of time. Keep in mind that some clocks have delays (a delay is time before your clock starts ticking for that move) or increments (an increment is time you gain after making a move), so take that into account when managing your time. Additionally, some tournaments give you extra time after the 40th move, 60th move, etc.
Some tournaments give warnings when you move your rook first, but don’t rely on these.
Note that in most rapid tournaments, recording the moves on a score sheet is not mandatory. Write the move on the score sheet after it has been made. Players will sign each other’s score sheets at the end of the game. If you want to appeal anything that happened during the game, don’t sign the score sheet.
This means that you shouldn’t talk unless it’s related to the game, make loud noises, eat large meals, breathe on your opponent, look at them for a long time, etc. If your opponent is doing something that’s annoying you (e. g. , banging pieces on the board), you can talk to them about it in a civil manner. If your opponent doesn’t speak the same language as you, call an arbiter for assistance translating what you want to say; oftentimes in international tournaments, there will be representatives for each country who can help translate what you want to say to their language. Additionally, it goes without saying, but don’t cheat. This can result in a variety of punishments, such as a ban from tournaments, a fine, etc.
When choosing a coach, try to opt for international masters and grandmasters. Experience is also crucial. Try to choose a coach who has been playing chess for a long time. Also, make sure your coach fits your style. If your coach doesn’t work well with you, then it doesn’t matter what titles they have.
You can look at the reviews of each chess book before buying them. Try to buy bestsellers and books written by highly experienced chess players. You can also buy books written by a specific chess player if you like their playing style. It may also help to buy a book with practice problems so you can practice your tactics and strategies.
You can also find a partner to play games with. You can learn from your partner’s strengths, and vice versa. Try to play games in tournament conditions. It’ll help you when the real thing comes around.
This is also why recording your moves down is important. You can also analyze your games with your sparring partner, if you have one. Try using a chess engine for assistance. Don’t use it as your main tool, but it can help quickly detect mistakes in your play.
In addition to watching the chess game, for bigger tournaments like the World Chess Championships, there will be lots of commentaries available. Many top chess players commentate important events they aren’t participating in, so this is also a good opportunity to see how top players analyze positions. This is a great way to have fun while learning a lot about the game.
Play for a win. Even when a draw is enough to win a tournament, you should always play for a win. Playing for a draw can cause you to lose fairly quickly. Understand that rating isn’t everything. Though it can be an incentive and make you feel good when you reach a milestone, don’t sweat it too much. Having fun and improving yourself is most important, and rating will come with time. Be confident and sit up straight in your chair. Being confident can have a psychological effect on your opponent, making them more prone to making mistakes. Most importantly, understand that it’s not the end of the world when you lose. Review the game, and know that there’s always next time.
