Lately,I've done a lot of thinking on my thinking LOL
I mean,what I think during a chessgame,what goes wrong and why.This mostly regards timed chessgames,not corr chess,but it applies to both to some degree.
First thing I noticed,was that I waste a lot of time not thinking at all.When playing a 2 hour game,I spend 1 hour just looking at the birds outside,staring at the wall,my feet,or just making trips through memory lane.Basically,anything but the game.Obviously,I would need to work on that.A LOT!
Second was,my tactical ability.That's rather strange,I noticed,some positions I handle almost perfect(tactically speaking),yet other,I handle like the biggest patzer ever to walk the face of this earth.Sadly,the latter occur most.This tells me,I know some tactical patterns thourough,but not many.Right?So,I need to work on tactics.
Third,BLUNDERS.Oh yes,I'm a blunder champ!No idea how to solve that problem.I guess it's just lack of concentration.Anyway,this has been discussed here before.
Fourth,when calculating a combination,where my oppo has many replies,I tend to overlook the most obvious one.Most of the time,I did notice it,but calculate all the other replies first,and calculate them well,but then I simply forget about the first,most obvious one.GAH!I tried forcing myself to do the obvious one first,but somehow,I keep forgetting it.This also happens in corr chess.
Fifth,I tend to pay little attention to the pawnstructure.Must definately work on that!
Well,that's about it.
Any thoughts,comments?
Originally posted by SirLoseALotBleh, im afraid to say I know what you are talking about, for example. I often find myself looking at the board on my move without thinking, just staring at it blank. On my oppenents move I often "come to" and find myself thinking that im projecting the image of me thinking and that im at least looking at the board so everyone will think im thinking.....duh :-)
Lately,I've done a lot of thinking on my thinking LOL
I mean,what I think during a chessgame,what goes wrong and why.This mostly regards timed chessgames,not corr chess,but it applies to both to some degree.
First thing I noticed,was that I waste a lot of time not thinking at all.When playing a 2 hour game,I spend 1 hour just looking at the birds outs ...[text shortened]... he pawnstructure.Must definately work on that!
Well,that's about it.
Any thoughts,comments?
Tactically im rather good, but I have a wee tendency to do something very stupid. If im working out a long variation then I might get a bit lost. I did this in my second game of the season, someone moved a knight to attack my queen, I worked out that it wasnt bad, I was going to move the queen into the kingside attack anyway so no tempo lost there, then I started to work out what threats the knight would give him, spent about 5 mins working them out and decided Id have to move the king out of the center with 0-0-0. Satisfied that iv covered everything I pick up the king and play 0-0-0 about 4 seconds later he takes my queen with his knight F**k BAS***D GRRRRRRRgggggrrrrrrr *several deep breaths*
Another thing I often do is feel the need to shake the game up, the amount of times iv given up a pawn to blow the game open a bit then spent the next 30 moves defending against substained attacks.
Another thing that puts me off a lot which shouldnt is people taking AGES over the opening moves, for gods sake its move 4 just move the bloody knight you gimp. :-)
I also recently stopped smoking, iv found that has effect my OTB play, I used to smoke a cig before a game and two during. I found that for about 5 mins after smoking a cig that I couldnt really think out long variations.....however the fact that I got away from the game for a bit always seemed to give me a bit of a boost.
Lastly opponents rating, If I dont know it I play sooooooo much better, if I already know their raintg o rif someone tells me (or more often I look :-( ) and I see its a bit lower than mine I tend to play much worse chess, or if it is 20 odd points higher I play worse still. When I just sit down and play the board and not the rating my chess is vastly improved.
For a long time iv wanted a book about the phycological side of chess, the amount my game changes from club game to club game can be drastic depending on my mood. Anyone know of such a book ? :-)
Originally posted by AThousandYoungHere's my latest,I was black:
Could you give an example of a 'blunder'?
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nxe4 6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.
Nxe4 d5 8. Nf2 Rf8 9. d4 Kg8 10. O-O Bg4??
kept playing for 18 more moves,reaching a 5 pawns+ bishop vs 5 pawns endgame,and I resigned :-{
This thread turns out to be a good idea.Good to know I'm not the only doofus 😀
Another thing I frequently do:
when thinking out a long combination,say 8-10 moves,and it all works,I play it for some 6-7 moves,then suddenly see another move that looks good on the surface,and without thinking I play that one.Usually,that move sucks,and it costs me the game while I had a clear win.I could kick myself when I do that.It has cost me numerous games.
And similar to that,usually this happens in an endgame,I see a win,calculate it,ok,it's a win,then I see another,more dubious try,and I think 'Hmm,intresting,wonder what would happen after that'.And guess what I play.....yep,the dubious try.GAH!
Originally posted by SirLoseALotAgainst drifting and day-dreaming:
Lately,I've done a lot of thinking on my thinking LOL
I mean,what I think during a chessgame,what goes wrong and why.This mostly regards timed chessgames,not corr chess,but it applies to both to some degree.
First thing I noticed,was that I waste a lot of time not thinking at all.When playing a 2 hour game,I spend 1 hour just looking at the birds outs ...[text shortened]... he pawnstructure.Must definately work on that!
Well,that's about it.
Any thoughts,comments?
I force myself to look at the position and consider all legal moves by both sides in order to stop thinking about chocolate land. In that way I force myself to pay attention to what's going on over the board. This should be done quickly and training with random positions can not be a bad idea. Missing 2 or 3 moves in complex positions should not be a problem but at least force yourself to consider moves by both yourself and your opponent.
Now that I have got your attention:
Once all the majority of legal moves have been considered, without judging their soundness, I proceed to make a general evaluation of the position (explained by Znosko Borovski in his book How not to play chess) looking at weaknesses, development, worst placed piece and pawn structure. This will generally lead to a 'plan' that might work out tactically or not but a plan nonetheless.
Work on the calculations:
This should reduce the number of reasonable moves by a large percentage because you will see what works and what doesn't, what makes sense and what doesn't. With these moves consider one by one and do a blunder check spotting captures, checks and intermediate moves. Visualize the position (Be the position.)... Calculate sequences of variations and be sure to have an idea of what is going on by asigning a +/- or a -/+ =/+ etc.
Experience should bring about improvement...
General attitude:
How am I feeling? Am I anxious? He is bluffing! Why is he smiling? Try to check your emotions during your game and if you are mad or not concentrating enough. Stand up (in OTB) and drink some water. Print the diagram and go to bed (in CC). During your opponent's time make sure to think and economize time .
Follow advice like that and you'll never make it past 1300. Have fun, talk to people, enjoy the game. :-)
The other thing that puts me off is people watching, im better at dealing with it these days, but I lost a bloody cup once because 30 odd people were standing around going hmmmmm.
Does anyone else here get "chess flow" Its hard to describe but sometimes my play is just WOW it feels like every move flows into each other and I can see everything that is going on in the game. Its almost like chess becomes a smooth dance between two people. It never lasts for long, maybe a week at the best but while I have it, chess is soooooooo much more sexier. Am I just nuts ? :-)
Originally posted by GrayeyesofsorrowYes,you're nuts 😉
Follow advice like that and you'll never make it past 1300. Have fun, talk to people, enjoy the game. :-)
The other thing that puts me off is people watching, im better at dealing with it these days, but I lost a bloody cup once because 30 odd people were standing around going hmmmmm.
Does anyone else here get "chess flow" Its hard to d ...[text shortened]... week at the best but while I have it, chess is soooooooo much more sexier. Am I just nuts ? :-)
I also experience flows,though they are brief and rare 🙁
Aye they are rare, if I could play like that all the time id be showing Kasprov whos boss :-D
I started to look into times when they come and go and am trying to see what im doing chess wise at those times. A lot of the time I seem to be hard in study often on new aspects of chess, but recently I had it for about a week after just being chess lazy for most of the time between seasons. It might not be anything to do with chess and is probably some outside aspect maybe I play better when im having good sex......who knows :-)
Originally posted by GrayeyesofsorrowI'd certainly look into the sex aspect.You MUST investigate this further,for the good of all chessplayers around the globe 😉
Aye they are rare, if I could play like that all the time id be showing Kasprov whos boss :-D
I started to look into times when they come and go and am trying to see what im doing chess wise at those times. A lot of the time I seem to be hard in study often on new aspects of chess, but recently I had it for about a week after just being chess la ...[text shortened]... d is probably some outside aspect maybe I play better when im having good sex......who knows :-)