Poor psychology?

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Jon Underwood
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Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:28 pm
Location: Devon

Poor psychology?

Post by Jon Underwood » Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:49 am

Before 2020 I'd been a reasonably stable 180+ player, generally beating people just below me, but never got so much as a half a point off anyone rated above 200. Then in early 2020 I had 4 such encounters. A classical win with white and then, in a rapid congress, a win against an FM with black, a draw with black, and then a draw against a GM with white in the final round. I thought I had finally broken some sort of ceiling.

Along came corona but I was still having many very good results against strong players online, but perhaps struggling against weaker ones.

A few weeks ago I played my first OTB rapid tournament. Round one was a draw with black against a 2300, rd 2 a white win against a 2380... and then I had three straight losses and two draws against players rated below 2000 (though many juniors so probably much better in reality).

My only attempt at an explanation is that I now lose focus when I am winning or think I ought to win, and conversely fight to the grim death when I expect to lose.

Had anyone had a similar experience and know how to cure this?

All advice gratefully received..

Harry Duff
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 2:48 pm

Re: Poor psychology?

Post by Harry Duff » Fri Nov 19, 2021 9:26 am

I had the opposite problem. I was about 1800 OTB 30 years ago and was comfortable playing someone of a similar grade or lower but I was often beaten before I started against a higher graded player, say 1900+. I just couldn't get out of my head that they must be much better than me and they would therefore win. Stupid looking back.

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Stephen Westmoreland
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Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2021 4:55 pm
Location: Holmfirth

Re: Poor psychology?

Post by Stephen Westmoreland » Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:54 am

I am noting a number of strong and enthusiastic new players, as well as people coming in over the board that have played online to a good standard. Lower graded and new players are better post lockdown.
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Joey Stewart
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: All Of Them

Re: Poor psychology?

Post by Joey Stewart » Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:50 am

If this sort of thing were to have a name i would call it chess vertigo.

Playing higher rated opponents can feel like a challenge to upset the established order, and when they are significantly higher it is also a more or less risk free shot at some rating points especially so if the higher player assumes they will win purely because of the rating gap and gets sloppy.

Conversely, when against someone rated numerically lower (note, I don't use the word weaker as this is rarely the case anymore) you know that only a win will suffice and even then it will be a pittance of a reward for the effort it takes so the higher rated player is under pressure right from the start to protect their rating.

Which is probably why it pays not to look at ratings right now and just try to play your best game every time, although as we all know this is easier said then done.
Lose one queen and it is a disaster, Lose 1000 queens and it is just a statistic.

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John Clarke
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Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:07 pm

Re: Poor psychology?

Post by John Clarke » Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:45 am

See my comment on this subject just over a year ago.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)