"Crush" me. Hmmm.... That could, indeed, happen. I have been
crushed by opponents before. But talking about it before it has
happened? In America, we call this "trash talk," and it generally takes
place on basketball courts, a form of psychological warfare to go along
with the game. OTB, it might actually have an effect. In
correspondence chess (in fact, in all forms of chess), emotions are too
costly-- they have cost me a few games. I am getting better at
leaving my emotions out of it-- if I get angry at myself for making a
blunder, I no longer beat myself up for it, but try to focus harder so
that the same mistake will not be repeated. You mention some
excellent "teachers;" I, too, have some excellent ones, Dave being
first and foremost. But my greatest teachers have been Time,
Experience, and Life. I look forward to our game, regardless of its
outcome. I hope you can say the same. If you lose, can you still
say, "Damn, that was a truly enjoyable game"?
By the way, my rating at Gameknot is somewhere in the 1100's,
because I don't take those games as seriously as I do the ones
here. Ratings don't mean much, in the end. Striving, improving--
these are what matters.
Tim
The Dark Squire