The day before the tournament:

1. Drink lots of water.

2. Go to bed early.

3. Don't over eat and avoid foods you know don't agree with you.

4. Avoid sugar and caffeine.

5. Play zero chess. Give your brain a rest.

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Tournament day:

1. Drink lots of water in between games or near the end of a game but not at the start of a game.

2. Eat a high carb breakfast but don't over eat.

3. Avoid sugar and caffeine. 

4. Don't eat heavy foods or over eat. The brain loves carbs.

5. Use the restroom before the start of each round.

6. Don't worry about prizes or ratings. Focus only on playing your best move.

7. Don't analyse games in between rounds. Forget about your last game and focus on the next one.

8. Warm up with tactics puzzles.

9. Get your heart rate up before each game. If you feel yourself getting sluggish or sleepy, get up and/or walk around. Keep the blood flowing to the brain.

10. Bring a jacket, even in Summer. Tournament rooms are often kept cold to counter the large number of warm bodies 

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