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Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision

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b

Lisbon

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I just got home and I am very upset... I know my tactical skills were poor but until today this had never happened to me OTB in classical play (2 hour knockout time control).





What happened is that I put my Knight right in the square where it can be immediately captured (how did I play 7.Ng5 ??). What upsets me is that this was not a move in a rush, I was actually calculating the position after 7... Bxg2 8. Rg1 and I thought it was risky but doable.

Just want to vent out... but this seems like tunnel vision syndrome... i was basically looking at just the part of the board where the Bishop was and also the Knight... I didn't see the whole board (this happened to me more often, and I miss some tactical tricks before due to this) ... my question is if any of you, when started playing (I started 7 months ago) had this problem... and if there is anything one can train or study to minimize these things.

It sucks to go play a game of chess and lose to this. My rating is just 1494 but I've been making 17xx rating performances in my last tournaments... I was about to do the same thing this tournament if this just didn't happen so I think I am improving... it just really sucks to lose it like this... it makes you feel all your progress has gone into the wind 🙁

Any comments would be nice... even if it is just to share some horrific thing you did like this so I don't feel so cold and lonely in this cruel chess world 🙁

aw
Baby Gauss

Ceres

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Originally posted by branc0
I just got home and I am very upset... I know my tactical skills were poor but until today this had never happened to me OTB in classical play (2 hour knockout time control).


[fen]
rnqkr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3n4/1bPb3/1QN1PN2/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R
[/fen]

I need help with the FEN thing... i'm trying to insert it like this:
rnqkr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3n4/1bPb3/1QN1PN2/PP3PP ...[text shortened]... fic thing you did like this so I don't feel so cold and lonely in this cruel chess world 🙁
Sometimes our brain just seems to turn off. Expect those kinds of mistakes in the beginning but they'll happen less and less as you play more often. If you want to feel better about yourself just go through some of my games. I don't know what I'm thinking about when I make certain moves... 😳
So let us carry on and try to do our best!

b

Lisbon

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Sorry for the FEN thing... seems like I got it now... still, now that I see the position in 2D just makes me want to cry some more.

R

Edmonton, Alberta

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Originally posted by branc0
I just got home and I am very upset... I know my tactical skills were poor but until today this had never happened to me OTB in classical play (2 hour knockout time control).

[fen]rn1qk2r/ppp2ppp/4p3/3n4/1b1Pb3/1QN1PN2/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 1[/fen]



What happened is that I put my Knight right in the square where it can be immediately captured (h ...[text shortened]... ific thing you did like this so I don't feel so cold and lonely in this cruel chess world 🙁
It happens.

I suggest you start doing tactic puzzles each day. 5 each day is perfect. That will help you a great deal.

Second, you know that saying, try to avoid moving the same piece in the opening unless you absolutely have to? Yups..

I use to have problems counting how many pieces each side loses after a tactical sequence. Lost a couple of important OTB games because of that.

It happens.

aw
Baby Gauss

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Originally posted by branc0
Sorry for the FEN thing... seems like I got it now... still, now that I see the position in 2D just makes me want to cry some more.
What's the problem with Ng5?! 😕 Was the g pawn moved before and by that move you provided an easy rook capture? Because on g5 the knight isn't en prise... 😕

R

Edmonton, Alberta

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Originally posted by adam warlock
What's the problem with Ng5?! 😕 Was the g pawn moved before and by that move you provided an easy rook capture? Because on g5 the knight isn't en prise... 😕
Qxg5.

aw
Baby Gauss

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Originally posted by RahimK
Qxg5.
😳
I have tunnel vision too...
😳
Time to go to sleep...

b

Lisbon

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Had to correct the FEN one more time... the Bishop was already at c4, if not I would have probably played Be2 when he moved Be4... I did not move the Bishop back to e4 exactly because I did not want to move the Bishop twice in the opening... think best move was probably 7. Nd2 there

Impressive I am not the only one missing Qxg5 ... I think part of the problem is that I'm used to the Black Knight on f6 that would not allow the Queen to control that diagonal 😞

G

Stockholm, Sweden

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I think you were looking only at "your side" of the board. Anyway, these things happen to everyone. Can't say I really know how to improve board vision. It is perhaps also a matter of attention, I don't know.

m

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After your opponent moves and before you move visually scan ranks, files & diagonals. With a little practice it becomes automatic and accidents like this won't happen.

i
SelfProclaimedTitler

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Originally posted by branc0
I just got home and I am very upset... I know my tactical skills were poor but until today this had never happened to me OTB in classical play (2 hour knockout time control).

[fen]r2qk2r/ppp2ppp/2n1p3/3n4/1bBPb3/1QN1PN2/PP3PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 1[/fen]



What happened is that I put my Knight right in the square where it can be immediately captured (h ific thing you did like this so I don't feel so cold and lonely in this cruel chess world 🙁
Damn. Do not feel lonely, I do it all the time, here. It doesn't have to do a lot with your chess skills. Tunel vision - I hate that. Looking 5 moves ahead about some subtle tactics or position, and then missing the obvious. It doesn't happen only in chess...
I reccomend you read the book "Amateurs mind" by Jeremy Silman, chapter "material". He has very useful advices and techniques for avoiding this type of temporary blindness. I play much with 1550 otb friend, we are practically even, but sometimes I lose from 1000 by putting my Queen in front of his Rook and proudly forking that Rook and his King.
It is terrible!

Simple blunder checking, forcing yourself to ask yourself "has my opponent any captures after I make that move" after every move your opponent makes increases your playing strength dramatically.

s

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Originally posted by branc0
I just got home and I am very upset... I know my tactical skills were poor but until today this had never happened to me OTB in classical play (2 hour knockout time control).

[fen]r2qk2r/ppp2ppp/2n1p3/3n4/1bBPb3/1QN1PN2/PP3PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 1[/fen]



What happened is that I put my Knight right in the square where it can be immediately captured (h ific thing you did like this so I don't feel so cold and lonely in this cruel chess world 🙁
I haven't played that many otb games, so my rating is sensitive to swings, and I have made so many dumb moves from winning positions it belies belief. But strangely in my last 2 otb matches the reverse has happened instead of getting ahead and blowing it, I have come from behind and won (due to errors it has to be said from my oppponent) so don't worry it will even out, we all make dumb moves we aren't machines. Unfortunately they were both rapid play games and it's my standard time rating that is suffering.

9

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What exactly was your plan with Ng5 assuming that Black didn't play Bxg2? Did you consider playing Bd2 instead?

b

Lisbon

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Thanks for the input everyone... after sleeping a bit, it doesn't feel as bad as yesterday 🙂

The idea was just to force a decision on the bishop... he is hanging after Ng5 (if the knight isn't killed by the Queen that is 😉 )

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