chessplayers pregame rituals.

in other sports it is common to have rituals pregame e.g. one soccerplayer puts socks and shoes on starting with the left foot because they think it brings the player luck.

Do you have some kind of pregame ritual.

Do they have pregame rituals at top level.  

me 2

Making sure the pawn up my sleeve is well placed. 

Slap myself across the face with wet hands until either wake up or it hurts too much to keep going, whichever comes first.

After that, what tonydal said. I also rotate all of the pieces (including the opponent's, if he/she doesn't object) so that they're symmetrical. I get the walls atop the rooks in an X shape, knights facing forward, the slit on the bishops on the right, the king's cross facing straight forward, and if it's one of those plastic sets where if you look really closely in good lighting you can see a little grove on the top of the spheres on the pawns, I make sure that is going straight forward.

I always ask my opponent to write his name and rating on my score sheet.

Nobody seems to mind, and quite a few have asked me to do the same.

Especially when playing some titled player be sure to ask for his name and spelling multiple times

sleep, eat, non chess activities such as sports, meditative state, looking at trees and small creatures, [censored] and obviously [censored]

Before each of my tournament games I do a ritualistic dance very similar to what the All Blacks do before their rugby contests.

 lol 'a ritualistic dance' ! well is known as the Maori term the 'Haka' dance.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd0kDxP04eI&feature=related

for those who might not be familiar with this pre-game ritual 

Before I start each game I perform the traditional Welsh Haka - it's a war-dance that portrays the despair when the colliery was closed, the burning of the English holiday homes and finishes with a rousing dance-based representation of the big beery night out in Aberystwyth with the rugby boys. In tournament chess I usually leave out the last bit (the visiting the Brothel and the being sick on my sheep), unless I'm playing online.

I ask my opponent if he would like some pork scratchings.

i like to eat a bit--but not too much.  i don't want to feel to full.  some people think playing hungry makes you focus more, i disagree.  i like to be comfortable.  i also listen to music before the game starts and sometimes during my opening.  something quiet and calming.  i also tend to banter with friends at the club a bit.  not sure if this helps or hurts me.

1. sit down and unbuckle belt
2. make sure beer is close enough to grab
3. adjust knights to face the enemy
4. ask opponent if they have notified their next of kin
5. when game starts, get up and walk around a bit while time runs
6. upon returning, ask opponent if it is my turn

the preceding always gives me the advantage in live play.