I had a traumatic chess experience this evening. For the first time ever, I went down to the local chess club, where they were all busy playing a tournament. I strolled around the tables, looking at various positions, thinking 'hmm, i don't think i'd be totally outclassed here'. Later, as the tournament games began to end, i played a couple of friendlies...and got whipped badly! My mind just turned to mud and, to my horror, i found myself making elementary mistakes i'd almost never make here at RHP. it was as if i was watching someone elses hand move the pieces around in a totally idiotic fashion. Needless to say I lost quickly and badly in both games. Does anybody have any advice on overcoming OTB nerves. It didn't help that everybody was jamming down on those little clocks every time they moved. made me kind of rush my moves...
LOL - take up rugby instead? 😉
I'm not the ideal person to reply, as I haven't played seriously OTB for years. But it would seem natural that your standard would be lower live rather than over the internet where you have more time to think. As for nerves, that should just be a case of live practice.
And as for playing timed matches, my (blindingly obvious maybe) advice is to stick to opening you are familiar with and do as much thinking as you can in your opponent's move rather than your own.
Mick 🙂
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Originally posted by dfm65Playing chess online is is less personal than OTB, thus more stressfull is OTB. When I was younger and playing OTB I found I would lose games that normally I would not because of this stress. What you will probably find is that the more you play OTB, the less stressful it will become. You will get more used to winning and losing.If you only play occasionally, you will make OTB out to be a bigger event than it really is. Familiarity will make it easier to do, the more you do it
I had a traumatic chess experience this evening. For the first time ever, I went down to the local chess club, where they were all busy playing a tournament. I strolled around the tables, looking at various positions, thinking 'hmm, i don't think i'd be totally outclassed here'. Later, as the tournament games began to end, i played a couple of friendlies.. ...[text shortened]... was jamming down on those little clocks every time they moved. made me kind of rush my moves...
Having played in a few tournaments (World Open and Land of the Sky) I've found that stress is a huge factor in how well you play. Concentration can be broken by the pounding of your heart as you push the wood around the board. I'm finding that by playing more OTB and more tourney's the level of anxiety I experience is diminishing. If it ever leaves me I'll quit playing as that is part of the 'rush' of OTB play for me.
Play your openings and have confidence!! If they make a move that you don't expect tell yourself that they don't know what they are doing and find a way to punish them for it. Don't get scared and think that they know something you don't know (this was how I thought in my first tourney where I lost every game).
I'm playing in a Virginia Tourney at the end of this month and have been playing OTB at local clubs with great scores so I'm going to go play my openings with confidence and see what happens.
Remember, they are as scared as you and if you can just play solid chess THEY will make a mistake that you can take advantage of. 😉