Post by Radrook Admin on Apr 8, 2024 5:15:03 GMT -5
Sudden Realizations that Disturb Concentration
It's no big secret that chess is a game requiring intense concentration and that the slightest distraction can mean a loss of a piece, serious positional blunder, or not seeing a threat. Now, things that can cause these distractions can be either unrelated or related to the game: Here are some examples:
Barking dogs in the backyard or in the far distance.
A neighbor blasting music next door.
A bawling child.
A nagging spouse.
The realization that you forgot to take care of urgent business such as paying your rent.
Recalling some unpleasant event.
As you suddenly realize that you will lose regardless of how well you play, anger frustration kick in, and blunders are very likely to ensue. This becomes even worse if you were easily winning and suddenly, this previously blundering buffoon is playing similar to an infallible machine, and effortlessly and inexorably mowing you down with a few pieces while still being behind in material.
Yes, with time, you begin to remember that certain positions led to losses and start asking yourself why you fell into the same situation again. If you couldn't win with the position before, then how are you going to do so now? Furthermore, why are you creating this position, if indeed you lost with it repeatedly? Why aren't you learning from your losses?
You might actually have forgotten that you chose to play without time increments and were happily counting on winning the game via tactics. Took yours sweet time pondering positions and now suddenly realize that you have only one minute left on your clock. So the very distracting question then becomes: How am you going to draw?
To make matters worse, you might start imagining your opponent sporting this huge smile on his triumphant face. Meanwhile, your clock is running, as you frantically search for non-existent drawing possibilities.
Unrelated to Chess
Barking dogs in the backyard or in the far distance.
A neighbor blasting music next door.
A bawling child.
A nagging spouse.
The realization that you forgot to take care of urgent business such as paying your rent.
Recalling some unpleasant event.
Ones related to the game itself
1. Suspecting Cheating Via Using a computer
As you suddenly realize that you will lose regardless of how well you play, anger frustration kick in, and blunders are very likely to ensue. This becomes even worse if you were easily winning and suddenly, this previously blundering buffoon is playing similar to an infallible machine, and effortlessly and inexorably mowing you down with a few pieces while still being behind in material.
2. Remembering a loss under a similar or identical position.
Yes, with time, you begin to remember that certain positions led to losses and start asking yourself why you fell into the same situation again. If you couldn't win with the position before, then how are you going to do so now? Furthermore, why are you creating this position, if indeed you lost with it repeatedly? Why aren't you learning from your losses?
3. Noticing that time on your clock is running low.
You might actually have forgotten that you chose to play without time increments and were happily counting on winning the game via tactics. Took yours sweet time pondering positions and now suddenly realize that you have only one minute left on your clock. So the very distracting question then becomes: How am you going to draw?
To make matters worse, you might start imagining your opponent sporting this huge smile on his triumphant face. Meanwhile, your clock is running, as you frantically search for non-existent drawing possibilities.