Last saturday I played OTB tournament with three of my friends. They are pretty good altough I think I definetly play better than them. But they all play several years and I started for serious only year ago and then they were trying to make fun of my playing. So now, as we didn't play for month or two felt the need to show them that I improved much. We played tourney with 15 min per player controls.
I played very carefully to avoid any mistake, and my common weakness is that I am so worried about my opponent plans and threats that I forget my plans which leads into passive play.
So they slaughtered me merciless, out of six games I played I won zero of them 🙁 In the last months I put a lot in tactics, strategy, queen pawn openings, and I was so frustrated that I wanted to kill someone (I didn't show them that though)
After tournament and a little brake we continued to playing games. And I felt so angry and agressive that my playing changed instanly.
With first player I won, result 3-1, with second the same, and with third, winner of the tournament I played 7 games, winning easily six of them. I am sure that my performance was for sure 1600 or better. Every game I won by slaughtering my opponents and the three I have lost was in winning position for me but my flag fell. I wasn't so surprised by result like I was with easiness of winning against them.
In Jeremy Silman's Amateurs mind is nice chapter "Developing mental thoughness", I think this thing is crucial to be fearsome opponent, not only openings, tactics and strategy.
Any similar experiences?
Sometimes, nowadays, I make a note in the notepad that says "Rush with the pawn and sell it dearly" and so I do. I find myself surprisingly that it often promotes on the 8th. Perhaps I was too afraid to make chances before. Now, when I do, it turns out with success.
I am normally defensive, perhaps too defensive. Perhaps it rewards to be a little crazy sometimes and 'go get it' a little.
Originally posted by ivan2908Do you mean that because you were angry and aggressive you be came a much stronger player?
Last saturday I played OTB tournament with three of my friends. They are pretty good altough I think I definetly play better than them. But they all play several years and I started for serious only year ago and then they were trying to make fun of my playing. So now, as we didn't play for month or two felt the need to show them that I improved much. We pla ...[text shortened]... fearsome opponent, not only openings, tactics and strategy.
Any similar experiences?
Maybe you just scared them into playing bad moves because they thought you might kill them🙂
Originally posted by ivan29086-0 is no fluke. they're just better than you think.
Last saturday I played OTB tournament with three of my friends. They are pretty good altough I think I definetly play better than them. But they all play several years and I started for serious only year ago and then they were trying to make fun of my playing. So now, as we didn't play for month or two felt the need to show them that I improved much. We pla fearsome opponent, not only openings, tactics and strategy.
Any similar experiences?
but yes, playing passively will get you slaughtered. you're just dead in the water, waiting for the pirates to come plunder your precious treasures and sink your royal ship. you absolutely need to make as much trouble for your opponent as you can, otherwise he'll just run you over.
edit: oh, wait, did you mean you first lost 6-0, and after a couple of months won against the same guys?
Not because I was agressive, that wasn't the point. The point is that on tourney I played without any risk, initiative, responding to every possibiliti of the threat anticipating it with defensive move. After the tourney I started to play with much more initiative, much more relaxed and secure in myself. Yes, more agressive, but not agressive in the literary sense of the word, I would say more active.
Originally posted by wormwoodNo, I won against them in non tournament games same evening, after tournament. We played this saturday from 6 P.M to 6 A.M. 🙂
6-0 is no fluke. they're just better than you think.
but yes, playing passively will get you slaughtered. you're just dead in the water, waiting for the pirates to come plunder your precious treasures and sink your royal ship. you absolutely need to make as much trouble for your opponent as you can, otherwise he'll just run you over.
edit: oh ...[text shortened]... ait, did you mean you first lost 6-0, and after a couple of months won against the same guys?