How To Start A Chess Club: Your First Tournament

 

Welcome back, new chess coaches!  In my first article, I talked about the devastating first tournament I experienced with my kids six years ago.  I could have avoided many mistakes if I had known this information!

Preparing for your First Tournament:

If you have never been to a chess tournament before, the experience can be a little overwhelming.

1.  Contact the Tournament Director

If you are attending a rated tournament, your kids will need to have a USCF membership.  Many chess club are run by schools, and so you may need to work with a school bookkeeper ahead of time to get a bus ordered and a check cut for the tournament fees, (such as USCF memberships and entry fees to the activity). 

This means you need to contact the tournament director several weeks out from the event.

If your kids are paying their own entry fees, then make sure to communicate with the parents three or four weeks in advance to give them the instructions on how to enter the tournament.  Many tournaments now have online registration, which allows parents to use electronic methods of payment. 

 

2.  Prep your students

Basic Chess Skills:  Are your students ready for their first tournament?  When I went to my first tournament, my students were not ready.  The fault was mine and not theirs.  I now have a process in my club that ensures students are ready. 

I have a form with basic chess skills and knowledge that players need to know before they go to their first tournament.  With a club as large as mine, I can't keep up with this by myself. I rely on my experienced players to help.  When a student has learned a skill, I sign off on his or her chart, or an experienced player signs off on the chart that they know the specific skill.  When new players complete the charts, they then sign their code of conduct.

Code of Conduct:  This is very important to me.  I teach in a school in an urban setting, and using violence to solve a disagreement is not uncommon.  I have a player's code of conduct that students must sign.  It states a number of things, but the most important are being polite throughout the match and shaking hands before and after a match (even if you lose)!

 

 Code of conduct poster in my chess practice room

Learn to Read a Pairing Chart:  I have examples of pairing charts from prior tournaments. I show these to beginning players so they know how to read the chart.  I also pair up experienced players with new players so as they go into the first round, they know how to read the chart and are confident about where they are sitting.

The most important thing for them to know is the section they are playing in, and then  they must write down what table and what color they are playing. 

Most scholastic tournaments require that both players go to the results table together after their game is complete. 

 

 

Children need help reading pairing charts at their first tournament.

 

3.  What Should I Bring?

Many scholastic tournaments are crowded and if you arrive late, it can be very hard to find a spot for your team in the skittles (waiting) area.  Arrive early!

I recommend that the adults bring comfortable folding chairs (most tournaments are all-day affairs) and bring at least one portable folding table in case you can't get a table.  Also, check with the tournament director, but in most scholastic tournaments you must bring boards and clocks.  I found that out the hard way the first time and ended up buying boards at the tournament!

 

 

The "skittles" area may be crowded; bringing folding chairs is a good idea!