One thing to be aware of -- often the parents are REALLY competitive, way more competitive than the kids. My kids were clueless to it, but I was certainly aware of some of the crazy parents.
Okay, yes, this is info I was looking for. I am guessing this will vary by region, but I was curious about the culture of this scene. Neither of my children has ever competed in anything. (DD9 is actively anti-competition and DS is only 5.) This kind of attitude is a major turn-off to me, but I don't think I will mind as long as there isn't an attitude on the part of the kids--as in, poor sportsmanship. I am a little worried about what will happen when DS loses anyway, but gloating or poor sportsmanship on the part of his opponent (or opponent's parents!) could really seal it.
I am also wondering how involved parents are generally and if our total lack of knowledge about chess is going to be an issue.
