I've just completed my first 5 weeks and 50 games on RHP, and must admit to being both addicted *and* frustrated.
My frustration is due to the majority of my losses being games I should have won or drawn, but threw away. In tennis jargon I guess I'd say I'm losing because of too many "unforced errors" on my part, rather than "winners" hit by my opponent. I'm sure both chess and tennis players would rather have their opponent beat them than to beat themselves.
So ... after a few of these I swore to fix the problem. After all, I'm not a bad player - all I need is more attention to detail. I told myself before poking the MOVE button I MUST double-check the board. This had led me to conclude I have some sort of chess-specific brain damage:
Symptom #1) Despite swearing I would double-check the board EVERY DAMN TIME, for some reason I keep skipping it, saying to myself "no need to double-check here, things are so simple/obvious".
Symptom #2) Selective blindness. Here, no matter how carefully I look, somehow I can't see that I've just hung a piece. The corst ones seem to involve pawns - if they stay stationary for some amount of moves my brain seems to want to do me a favor and "simplify" my thinking by concluding they *are* stationary - that they are merely a fixed part of the board. I've several times just stuck a piece right for a pawn to take.
My questions:
1) Does anyone else have this type of brain damage?
2) Is it treatable?
I think if I could stop making these stupid mistakes I'd easily get 100-200 rating points higher. Treating symptom #1 seems easier because that's a matter of finding a method to enforce self-discipline. But #2 ... reminds me of those studies of traffic accidents which show people often only see things they are looking for: you stop at the intersection and look, but you are looking for *cars*, not bicyclists, so you if fact don't see it. How do you make yourself truly see the chess board?
Originally posted by RookRAKYes! Though i'm getting it under control. When i first arrived at the site it took me 100 games to get used to playing correspondence. The problem lies in the fact that you MUST use the analyse board EVERY move! I discovered that i would calculate say 5 moves ahead one day, and then i would follow this preliminary analysis for as long as my opponent obliged. The problem is your opponent invariably will be looking deeper into the position and consequently your getting into positions that are unfavourable.
I've just completed my first 5 weeks and 50 games on RHP, and must admit to being both addicted *and* frustrated.
My frustration is due to the majority of my losses being games I should have won or drawn, but threw away. In tennis jargon I guess I'd say I'm losing because of too many "unforced errors" on my part, rather than "winners" hit by my op ...[text shortened]... ot bicyclists, so you if fact don't see it. How do you make yourself truly see the chess board?
Two idea's that i feel worked for me.
1. Don't update your games straight away when you log on. Open the game, look at the move that has been made and move some pieces around and get a feel for the position. Once you think you've found a move, CLOSE THE GAME! There is no rush. I can't tell you how many blunders i've avoided and stronger moves i've found from doing this.
2.When you've made a mistake, DON'T update that game. More often than not if i blunder, i blunder on the following move as well out of shock. I've seen other people do this against me as well. Take advantage of the time and use it, if you don't your opponent will!
🙂
They make little shock collars for small dogs to use with those invisible electric fences. I suggest buying one of those and strapping it onto your wrist. Every time your reach to hit the submit move button use the remote to zapp yourself (even if you have carefully thought out your moves) once or twice. This will eventually make you very cautious around that move button, and will have the effect of slowing your play down. This will probably raise your rating 200-300 points.
I know it did mine.
Originally posted by Weadley
They make little shock collars for small dogs to use with those invisible electric fences. I suggest buying one of those and strapping it onto your wrist. Every time your reach to hit the submit move button use the remote to zapp yourself (even if you have carefully thought out your moves) once or twice. This will eventually make you very cautious around tha ...[text shortened]... owing your play down. This will probably raise your rating 200-300 points.
I know it did mine.
Unless you time out because you end up never using the move button. 😉