Tips for Chess Commentary

Do you like chess? Do you like the sound of your voice? Then a chess commentator might be the perfect job for you! In this post, I'll be talking about a few tricks of the trade.

1) Drink plenty of water

Talking for the length of the match may be hard on your throat. You don't want your voice to be hoarse, so make sure to drink small sips of water throughout the game. Be sure to eat foods like cucumber, watermelon, oranges to keep your throat hydrated. Don't eat spicy food as they make irritate your throat. Don't drink too much because you can't visit the restroom in the middle of the game!

2) Know the circumstances

You need to know the backstory of the game. Is one of the players in sublime touch? Did a player fire his seconds recently? Is this game the final? At the last move, fans don't just want to know who won, they also want to know what it means for the player. XXXX wins the championship! XXXX is now a GM!

3) Don't favour a player

Fans of both players will be listening, so try not to hurt any sentiments, but you are free to make predictions with solid evidence.

4) Be enthusiastic

To be a good chess commentator, you should be enthusiastic while talking about the game. Don't be emotionless like a robot. Don't go crazy. DON'T SHOUT. If you start at 100%, how can you turn up the excitement when something important, like a checkmate, happens? I recommend starting at 60%, then going up to 90% when something interesting happens and finishing at 100%.

5) Practise the delivery of names

Some names can be tricky to pronounce. Look up the pronunciation beforehand. It's not just names. Some words can also be hard to pronounce right.

6) Know the Rules!!

This one should be obvious.

7) Don't use filler words

Filler words are words like um..., so..., err..., that comes in the middle of sentences. Try not to use filler words. Be confident in what you say. Here are a few techniques to avoid using fillers:

• Relax: The more anxious you are, the more likely you are to use filler words.

• Talk Slowly: You are less likely to get tongue-tied and forget what you are saying.

• Pause: Wait at the end of each sentence before starting a new one. It can add impact to your words and let your point sink in.

• Listen: record yourself speaking and listen to the recording, to work out if and when you use filler words.

  8) You don't have to speak every minute

  Unless you are giving updates on the radio, you don't have to talk every minute, since if you stop talking, people will think the radio has broken down.
  Use this silence to think about the next point.

  9) Enhance the pictures

  A commentator's job is to add to what is on screen. For example, if XXXX plays Rb1+, don't just say "XXXX plays Rb1+"."An aggressive move by XXXX. A good utilisation of the open B file. XXX has numerous ways to respond" would be a more appropriate statement.

  10) Don't just stick to the game.

  Viewers tend to get bored by hearing things that are related only to the game. Include fun facts, upcoming milestones (if any) and player's qualities(example: XXXX is so good at attacking an open king). Make sure to link up all your qualities to what position the game is.

  11) Know the opening lines

  It can be helpful while describing the opening phase of the game. Remember just the main lines that are likely to be played.

  12) Be natural

  Don't be too formal. Make a joke at regular intervals and don't try and hold back a fit of laughter. It can make your commentary enjoyable.

  That's it for today. I hope this helps. If you liked it, please hit that heart button. Bye!