When a scholastic chess player should start playing in tournaments

 Occasionally, a parent will send me an email asking when their child who knows how to play chess should start playing in a rated tournament.  Here is some general feedback I usually send; I'll update this blog post when warranted.  I'll use the designation scholastic player or player instead of child for the remainder of post; this means a chess player between ages of Kindergarten and grade 12.

Suggestions for parents considering whether to register their scholastic player for a tournament:

• If the player is currently learning from a chess coach/club, I would ask the coach to give feedback as to whether the player is ready.
• All that is required to participate in a rated chess tournament is an active USCF member ID.  Everyone starts somewhere :)
• How is the player's temperament in regards to winning and losing in chess games?  Will the player get very upset and be discouraged from future participation if losing all the games in a tournament?  If the answer is yes, then practicing in non-rated tournaments or casual play at a chess club is helpful until the player has gained more experience.  Admittedly, there aren't that many non-rated tournaments near Ridgefield, but a chess club may host one and not publicize it.
• Unfortunately I can't predict what the level of gameplay will be at an open rated tournament.  Sometimes first time players will register, other times there are just experienced players.  The rating for most intermediate players at the Way of the Board chess club ranges from 100-550, which is considered a beginner level for rated tournaments.  I may have visiting players with higher ratings.  If there are 10+ players and a wide disparity in their ratings, I may divide the players into two sections.
• I am hoping to have a more beginner friendly tournament with shorter time controls later in the year for my beginner class, 3 rounds of G/10 games.  This is not likely to happen until November or so though, depending on quickly they progress.
• For our monthly rated tournaments, the event will usually be in Swiss format.  See this article for a brief description of how this works, but the players who have registered in a tournament will be ranked from high to low rating, and for the first rounds the higher rated players will be paired with lower rated players.  In subsequent rounds, winners will play winners and losers will play losers with no eliminations.  So all players will be able to play all rounds.
• At the end of a tournament I award gold or silver medals to all players to encourage beginning players.  There is an opportunity for parents to take group photos afterwards.
• An active USCF membership is required to play in a rated tournament.  A player's rating will go up or down depending on whether they win or lose in a round, and depending on the relative strength of their opponents.
• A 1 year membership allows the player to play in any US rated tournament, not just CT.
• Check tournaments.wayoftheboard.org to see who has registered for a tournament
• Has the player used a chess clock before?  If not, the player should get accustomed to using one before a chess tournament.   Players can practice using a chess clock via an app
  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chess.clock&hl=en_US&gl=US
  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chess-clock-by-chess-com/id858039162 
  Also, parents can get a chess clock for use at home if someone in the family plays or the player has chess playing friends.  At this club I use these chess clocks and like them.  They are relatively cheap and good quality, have the basic functions my players need at their beginning level and are easy to program.  Once a player is ready for longer tournaments, they may need a more advanced chess clock.
  https://www.wholesalechess.com/wholesale-chess-basic-digital-game-timer-with-bonus-delay.html
• If buying from Amazon or other online retailer, make sure to buy a chess clock with a delay time function.  In European chess tournaments bonus time is standard, in American chess tournaments delay time is standard.  A basic chess clock should be programmable for both time controls.  A lot of the cheaper online chess clocks only offer a bonus time control.
• For longer tournaments (where time controls are at least G/25d5 or G/30), grade 3 players and older are required to notate.  Notation for younger players is strongly recommended but not required.
  https://www.chess.com/terms/chess-notation