Live, over-the-board (OTB) tournament play is the ultimate in chess competition. It's fun, exciting, and aesthetically pleasing. However, rated chess events are not always unicorns and rainbows. There's a harsh reality to tournament play that is often omitted from the discourse on chess. Neal discusses some hard truths about tournaments, shares some of his own personal journey as a player and TD, and provides some tips and tricks along the way. Some of this episode's talking points include the following:

• Chess equipment
• Local clubs vs. major events
• Ratings & pairing systems
• Tips & tricks while playing
• Should you play speed chess between rounds?
• Things that will annoy the tournament director
• Rules you may not be familiar with but should know
• Openings and using a "forever" repertoire
• Scorekeeping
• Dealing with disruptive behavior

Referenced: Tournament Announcement Terminology (Scroll down to "TOURNAMENT LIFE ABBREVIATIONS & TERMS") If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at [email protected]. Our links:

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