Gerry1970 wrote on 01/17/09 at 02:30:32:



JEH wrote on 01/17/09 at 13:24:25:



Yes I'd like to check my opening work at least particularly since I play some pretty sharp theoretical lines. If they repeat, I need to be ready! As long as there is no hole in my opening though not analyzing makes sense. Wasted energy better saved for my tournament!

Hello:

No recent experience with RRs but I did recently play in a 7-rd Swiss. Some interesting things I noted:
1. Before and during the 7th game I got sick. Not nausea, rather it felt like I was coming down with a bad cold/flu. I was so happy for the quick draw! So I have increased my physical activity since returning in the hope that a better physical condition will help me in these marathon tournaments. I believe Fischer swam every day in preparation for Spassky?
2. I choose not to analyze my games and I was really happy about this decision. One exception was one of my losses that my friend thought I missed a winning attack. We had time so we went over it. I did not like it at all. I thought it put a lot of useless thoughts into my mind. So I have vowed not to analyze any games during a tournament again. Only exception would be to review my opening performance in case that same opening showed up later.

Good luck,

Gerry

I agree with the other posters.  My main method of prep prior to the tournament is to go over tactical positions.  They have to be hard enough to make you think; not the Reinfeld mate in two stuff.  Try, for example, the exercises in the back of the Informant.  I set each one up on a board -- after all, I'm not going to be playing on a 2d computer screen at the tournament -- and I don't move the pieces until I've got it.   

I'll briefly go over my opening lines prior to the tournament, but I tend to do more of that just prior to each game.  The pre-tournament opening work is just a general overview.  I'll concentrate on my Black defense to 1.e4, since chances are I'll wind up playing that the most, and look at other openings a little bit.  On the White side, I don't try to look at everything Black might play, just the three or four most popular defenses du jour.   

The main exception is if I know ahead of time who some of my opponents might be and what they play, in which case I'll prepare more thoroughly for them -- either in advance or, more likely, the night before the game.  Generally, for me, this means reviewing my regular lines and maybe, if its an opponent I've met a number of times before, picking a sideline or back up line to try.  The key here is not to go overboard -- I'm not talking about learning a new system, but trying a different move/line within your current system.   

I think its important to resist the temptation of coming up with something completely "new" just before the tournament.  For one thing, I find that it never works since, chances are, if I try to adopt a new opening in a week or so, I'll never develop a good enough feel for it to play it well.  I'd rather play something familiar, that I understand.  For another thing, if your opponent has half-a-brain, he will sidestep your prep anyway.  A friend of mine once spent weeks preparing the Wing Gambit for an opponent who was known to worship the Dragon.  But the guy was no dummy.  As soon as he saw 1.e4, he bashed out 1..e5.  So much for the prep.

I would suggest the following, which is of course well known, but it works for me.
1) Stop playing blitz
2) Warm up your chess mind with some tactical exercises and endgame positions (studies) every day before the start date
3) Investigate your opponents just going trough their recent games in order to see what they play and which kind of positions they do not understand well. What are their strong and weak points. Then you will be able to build up your strategy against everyone of them.
4) During the tournament do not analyse already finished games (especially loses). Always look ahead and prepare for your next opponent.
5) Do not think about the overal tournament result. Think only for the game which follows.

Hope this will help you.