How to start playing in real and get rated

amargar

Hi, I have been playing online for around 1y, around 1k ELO on chess.com.

Im wondering if this is a good time to start playing in real life and get rated? And how to do it? I'm just afraid of joining a tournament and everybody being better than me, how am I going to get rated if I lose all games?

L1m1tless

You'll be fine, you have to start somewhere.

Tournaments generally have different sections according to strength.

So you'll start out in the lowest section.

Most tournaments use the Swiss system.

If you lose the 1st game, the next round you will play someone who also lost.

Lose the first 2 games next you play someone who also lost 2 and so on...

So if you keep losing, the games will get easier.

You'll have to be a member of the Irish Chess Union to play in tournaments and get rating. Www.icu.ie

You might also want to Join a club. You will improve and could play on a team in the Leinster leagues.

Those games will help you get your rating also. There's 6 divisions so all levels are catered for.

L1m1tless

You'd be in the Under 1500 or Under 1600 section. These are the 2 usual bands for the lowest section.

Many other non rated players will be playing.

Join a tournament, enjoy playing chess and don't worry about results. You will improve.

Pete Morriss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122916422#Comment_122916422

There isn't a FIDE rating of 1200 any more, but if you have a rating of 1000 on chess.com then you almost certainly wouldn't be the weakest player in a normal Irish tournament. For instance in the last tournament in Galway (in 2023) - which I only mention because I ran it - there were about 15 players with no Irish rating and an online rating of 1000 or less, and several others who had an Irish rating but would not have been above 1000 on chess.com. One player who had no Irish rating and an online rating of 1100 won three of his six games. For the next tournament, in April 2025, we already have someone entered who is below 1000 on chess.com, even though entries haven't officially opened yet! So there is little danger of your being outclassed, though, as L1m1tless said, if you lose your first game or two you shouldn't let that discourage you, as it will get easier. I would recommend that you practice playing on a board, and with a clock, before playing in a tournament, but otherwise you should be fine. And joining a club if there is one near you is good advice. Also a tournament played in sections based on rating, rather than one where everybody plays in the same section, would be a better choice for somebody with your - understandable - concerns.

Hope that you find a suitable tournament and that you enjoy it.

cdeb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058382918/how-to-start-playing-in-real-and-get-rated

Don't be worried about losing a couple of games is the first thing! Though of course it can be dispiriting when there's six games in a weekender tournament, and you're on 0/3 with three games still to play. But we've all been there.

One thing to note is playing an over-the-board game is much different to playing online. It's slower, you have to press the clock and write your move down - that alone can take a couple of games to get used to. And looking at the pieces on 3D is actually different to looking at them in 2D on a screen. It's also very hard to know what 1000 online compared to in real life.

None of that is a reason to skip a tournament - just a note that the transition takes a little bit of time to get used to. So again, don't be worried about losing a couple of games.

One intermediate option to consider is to join a club. I don't know what part of the country you're in, but there's a club in about every county in Leinster for example (except Laois and Offaly). A few casual games could help you get used to the over-the-board setup, work out your strength, and get some more solid tips on your game.

amargar

Whats the usual level for these kind of tournaments? My FIDE should be around 1200, but I'm afraid of being the lowest one and just join it to lose all my matches

global23214124

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122916422#Comment_122916422

This is an example of a recent tournament in cork. The major section was 1600 and under - https://www.icu.ie/events/1798 with well spread out ratings.

amargar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122923663#Comment_122923663

If the floor is 1400 how are people below that on that list?

cdeb

There's no floor in the bottom section?

There's three sections - 1750+, 1500-1850, and <1600.

(The overlap gives people otherwise at the margins of the sections the option of playing up or down as they want)

amargar

No I mean, if the FIDE floor is 1400, what's the number that appears to the left of the names?

cdeb

Ah, I see. Those are Irish ratings. Exact same principle, but they go much further down - everyone who plays in a rated tournament gets one. I've seen players with negative ratings.