!!SLUMPS!!

chesstora

Only Chess

24 Apr 11

chesstora

Joined: 31 May 10
Moves: 1772

24 Apr 11

Fellow ChessNuts,
I'm in a slump! The hole that I'm in seems to be getting deeper. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get out of a slump? What are some of the things that others have done to turn things around.

HELP!!

Shallow Blue

Joined: 18 Jan 07
Moves: 12477

24 Apr 11

Originally posted by chesstora
I'm in a slump! The hole that I'm in seems to be getting deeper. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get out of a slump?

Yeah. Keep playing, be patient, and don't fret about rating points. You're here to play chess and enjoy it, not to worry about how low a dog you are on this virtual trash mound.
At least, that's what I do when (not if) I'm losing again - like now...

Richard

wormwood

If Theres Hell Below

We're All Gonna Go!

Joined: 10 Sep 05
Moves: 10228

24 Apr 11

get enough sleep, keep playing (but not too much in a single session if it's blitz), and it'll come back as mysteriously as it went away. it always comes back.

ketchuplover

Isolated Pawn

Wisconsin USA

Joined: 09 Dec 01
Moves: 71666

24 Apr 11

Figure out why you're(not your)losing. Remove those whys from your(not you're)play 🙂

vivify

rain

Joined: 08 Mar 11
Moves: 12456

24 Apr 11

Try playing in a way that's completely not your style. Try a drastically different opening that what you're used to. If you're a conservative player, try switching to highly offensive.

After two or three games of playing like this, you'll see the board in a whole different way. This should work for you.

wormwood

If Theres Hell Below

We're All Gonna Go!

Joined: 10 Sep 05
Moves: 10228

24 Apr 11

Originally posted by vivify
Try playing in a way that's completely not your style. Try a drastically different opening that what you're used to. If you're a conservative player, try switching to highly offensive.

After two or three games of playing like this, you'll see the board in a whole different way. This should work for you.

never go for crazy desperados if you have a bad day. it'll only make it worse. if you can't hold the solid positions, you're guaranteed to crash and burn in the sharp and complicated ones.

gambit3

Joined: 29 Jul 01
Moves: 8818

24 Apr 11

The last bad chess slump I had started before Christmas and ended the next September. It all started when I played a sub 1400 rated player and lost. I later watched that player's rateing rise above 2200. All I could do was take all the time the clock allowed and play through the slump. Somehow you just have to make it through the things of life as well.

nimzo5

Ronin

Hereford Boathouse

Joined: 08 Oct 09
Moves: 29575

25 Apr 11

Rest is a key component in chess strength, almost every slump I have had can be tied directly to too much studying and not enough time away from the board.

bill718

Enigma

Seattle

Joined: 03 Sep 06
Moves: 3298

25 Apr 11

Originally posted by chesstora
Fellow ChessNuts,
I'm in a slump! The hole that I'm in seems to be getting deeper. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get out of a slump? What are some of the things that others have done to turn things around.

HELP!!

A few ideas that have helped me:

1. Always anaylize your moves with a standard chess set, don't just stare at the computer screen.

2. Keep your game load low. Too many games can cut your quality of moves. (I learned this one the hard way!)

3. Balance your study and playing time. You need both in order to improve.

4. Be paitent with yourself. Chess is easy to play, but very difficult to play well.