The United States Chess Federation website shows that my January tournament has been rated. My quick rating went back above 1700, because I split my two games with a 2100 player.
My "quick" rating and my "slow" rating are now within 8 points of each other, which suggests to me that I have been roughly the same strength now for basically 20 years. What a curious touchstone to have--that I am a solid weekend inferior player. I'm glad that I got the paperwork completed correctly for the rating process, and I'm thrilled I ran that tournament.
This weekend I have another tournament scheduled, in the town of Carrollton, about forty minutes from me. I set it up there because a business acquaintance knew of a good meeting room there. I've run an ad on the USCF website, and the local Dallas Chess Club picked up the ad as well (kind of them). Unfortunately, they also have now scheduled a tournament of their own on the 13th and 14th, a "semi-insanity" in which players play all night. Thus I have competition from a fine chess club on the day of my tournament. It's no reflection on them, because they are good folks, but I wish that the chess clearinghouse for such things worked a little better.
But really, people who come to play at my tournament want to play 7 games in 3 hours, while people who play in a semi-insanity want to play all night long.
This tournament I offered "real" cash prizes, so I hope I get a little turnout. But I'm concerned that I won't get the turnout I want. Who knows? Maybe it will be just my nephew and myself. I have gotten no real calls or e mails about the tournament, which is not good. We'll see what we'll see, and I'll remain hopeful. I did try to promote it through the local paper, but my e mail did not get a reply. I must do a better promotional job next time. I don't think I follow up with the folks who are interested as well as I should, but that's fixable.
Despite the relative lack of success, organizing a chess tournament makes me want to organize something else--a folk concert or a poetry reading or a crafts fair. I think that I could help bring fun things to the charming corporate suburbs around me.