That's a great story. I agree with you that psychology is very much a part of chess. There is an old Russian tactic that involves tapping a piece on the table repeatedly as to distract the opponent. It works quite effectively!
Playing an unpopular oppening that appears dubious at first glance, such as the one that you played, also works well. It adds that much more pressure on the opponent to win. If you remain calm and resolute, you have excellent chances.
That's a great story. I agree with you that psychology is very much a part of chess. There is an old Russian tactic that involves tapping a piece on the table repeatedly as to distract the opponent. It works quite effectively!
Playing an unpopular oppening that appears dubious at first glance, such as the one that you played, also works well. It adds that much more pressure on the opponent to win. If you remain calm and resolute, you have excellent chances.
And it is the pyschological aspects of chess that will probably keep me from getting past 2200. I'm horrible with time. Here where I have 3 days to make one move, it's lovely and I can play to my strengths. In a OTB tournament where I face the opponent and have to compete for a spot, and the time is ticking, ticking, ticking, I can fall apart from the nerves.
And I'm sure, even if I were to get highly rated, it would only increase by a huge margin.
I'm the complete opposite, to a fault. I have no regard for time when I am above three minutes. For all I care, I could think for ten minutes on an obvious recapture. This causes me to get into unnecessary time pressure, and it causes me to lose lots of games. I've also found that I get nervous when my opponent is in time pressure, because this does not happen very often. This also causes me to blunder.
Battle Mantra.
Mantra.
"In mainstream Vedic practices, most Buddhist techniques and classical Hinduism, mantra is viewed as a necessity for spiritual advancement and high attainment. In The Kalachakra Tantra, by the Dalai Lama and Jeffrey Hopkins, the Dalai Lama states, "Therefore, without depending upon mantra...Buddhahood cannot be attained.""
-- What Is a Mantra and How Does It Work, http://www.sanskritmantra.com/what.htm
Tension.
Tension can refer to many things in chess. It can refer to the interplay between pieces or pawns. It can refer to psychological pressure over the board as well as non chess related events outside the chess game, such as political tension such as in the Fischer-Spassky match. For this article, we are going to be looking at some of the psychological aspects of tension and emotions and one small tool you can use to counter this.
Tension can arise from many different sources. There is the tension from just playing competitive games or sports. The fear of losing. The competitive drive. Respect and humiliation. This is further heightened by antagonism for an opponent such as a rival, as well as by encountering an opening or plan you have not seen before. Surprise can be a negative in this regards, such as when you fall into an opening TN that your opponent has prepared especially for you.
One method of fighting this is by saying a mantra or prayer or repeating a favorite and inspirational quote.
Memorize it, then repeat it several times during breaks or before games.
An example...
I was playing in the last round of the 45TH NORTHEASTERN OPEN.
I took 11th place out of 50 players in the open section.
This was my first tournament since 1996.
In the first round, I lost to a 1300 kid. Then I won my second game, drew my third and won my fourth.
I was out of the running for any prize money, so I wanted a win in the last game to get as high a position as I could.
I had black against a stronger player.
I felt a lot of pressure and tension, but I figured the opponent would be feeling some also and I wanted to increase it and reduce my own.
I walked around a bit, used the rest room, then about 10 minutes before the game, I found a comfy chair and a quiet spot and closed my eyes.
I did some meditation techniques first which helped a lot to calm me.
Then I went into my battle mantra. I recite an inspirational quote and repeat it for effect. I have short ones, medium length ones and long ones.
Medidate to calm the fear and pressure. Battle Mantra to pump me up and heighten my killer instinct or blood lust.
Below is what I recited 4 times before my last battle of the day...
“In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst. In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title. Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours.”
-- Ayn Rand (Russian born American Writer and Novelist, 1905-1982)
That got my fire kickstarted. I was black and he played e4. I had prepared the Black Knights Tango. Now what???
So I improvised.
After 1.e4 Nc6, 2.d4 Nf6, 3.e5 Nd5
He had no idea what to do. I shoved both my a pawn and h pawn, caught him in a crossfire with my bishops and ended up taking a pawn for nothing with a raging initiative. After that it was all downhill.
His face was flustered and all red by the end of the game and he threatened to kick my ass after the game.
I just smiled and walked away.