It’s intimidating

I just started playing chess a little over a week ago and even playing up against people of my skill level seems intimidating. Is this something that will go away with time? Does anyone have any confidence tips?

I agree, it actually caused me some anxiety to play my first game with someone. This is why (currently) I only play daily games so I have time to think about my moves. The lessons here are really helpful. I got frustrated with the puzzles because I did not know what I was supposed to do but if you customize them and maybe select only a couple themes at a time it might help, it did for me and I got better. I am happy to play you an unrated daily game which is not stressful since unrated. Although you cannot use an engine during daily games you can use other resources: Daily Rules.

I'm not sure if it ever goes away, but it certainly changes over time. I still get nervous playing regular (live) games so I spend most of my time (as Umaeril mentioned) playing daily games where I have a little time to reflect. 

Get rid of the anxiety and replace it with a much more calm demenour.

I'm also intimidated.  I find myself much better playing a bot then playing a person. I'm too worried about loosing and my rating going even lower - I'm not sure it can get lower!

I will try to do some unrated games and maybe I won't have the anxious pressure.  I really shouldn't care about my rating - I'm playing to enjoy the game and learn - not be a badass.  

Josie I am happy to play you an unrated game, I don’t do under 3 days for each turn since I work and get busy so not too stressful.

This is normal. I don't want to freak you out, but playing OTB (over-the-board) chess tournaments is even more anxious feeling when starting out. 

The good news is that both for online and in-person, it does lessen greatly to the point where you are hardly nervous at all. Perhaps a smidge still, but like @CMDRExorcist mentions, [the nervousness feeling] "changes over time." 

If it helps your confidence any, most players are just as nervous as you are. They just get better at hiding it the longer they play chess

Unrated might help some, but I'd play rated and try not to worry about rating too much; maybe focus on it some, but not in an unhealthy way. I like to think of rating in terms of milestones and new high scores. If I reach 1000 rating for the first time, then that is a cool milestone and NOTHING changes the fact that I've made it to 1000 chess.com rating! Even if I temporarily drop, nothing changed my "high score" and I'll be a better player (even if I have a lower rating) because the losses give me experience

Then it is just a rinse and repeat process from 1000 to 1100 to 1200 to... you get the idea.

The reason I recommend playing other human opponents (even if it makes you somewhat anxious) is because bots don't play like human players do.

Good luck with your chess journey - the nervousness does go away some...look at Grandmasters like GM Magnus Carlsen. He isn't that worried and we can get there too!

Some anxiety is good: it keeps you sharp. Too much anxiety is bad: it stifles you. Anxiety becomes less and less as you play more. No anxiety is bad: you become reckless.

Yep.  Totally normal.  And it definitely does lessen with time.

(@tygxc makes a good point -- if I could take a slightly different tack: one can channel the anxiety energy into making your mind sharper, which is a good thing).

Another tack: when I'm playing I often think "what a great setup -- I can sit at my laptop and play chess any time I want!  And, while I'm playing, I often think: there's nothing else I'd rather be doing now!

First of all, welcome to the chess world! 

Second of all, yeah it's a normal thing, just keep playing games and you will gain confidence soon enough

"If I reach 1000 rating for the first time, then that is a cool milestone!" - A person who once said "1000s are super bad at chess lol"

Who said this? I think you have me confused with someone else as I don't recall ever saying this. Rating is over-rated if that makes sense Rating only estimates you level based on your past games, but says nothing for your potential, or current rate of improvement

It's actuall you lol

 

Anyways back to the OP's question: If you feel intimidated by an opponent, intimidate them back.

I think with the changes to the time controls. 10 minute games are rapid now, no longer blitz, it changed ratings. Also there are a lot of resources out there nowadays to get better at chess, way more than what I had available when I started.

All this information changed the way people played. For example. Before Aman Hamleton started his chess videos to learn chess on the basis of gradually changing a set of rules as you play. In there he teaches how to play the caro-can a certain way that can score you a win by a queen sac if your lucky. That video was widely seen, therefore, everybody, even the 500’s, know about that opening now, and play differently because of it.

It changed to the way people played. It got to the point that a person playing the way Aman Hamleton suggested, leaves white at a disadvantage, with the alternate line everyone now uses. Basically I’m thinking of throwing my two knights white response to the caro can in the garbage because of this, but who knows.

That being said. 50 rating points means a lot in blitz nowadays. 1200 rating in blitz is very good now, and to people who where once 1500 about 1-2 years ago, now are probably in the lower thousands, in blitz.

Everyone is fairly close to 50/50 in wins and losses. The more you win, the more you draw, your rating will go up, till it gets back to that 50/50 or so equilibrium.

Correspondence and blitz are totally different animals. You can’t really compare a daily chess rating with a blitz rating at all.

For one thing, most low rated players don’t think about their moves. They just make a move in a couple seconds after making it. In order to get higher rated in daily, you must use all the resources available to you. This not only helps your rating, but helps you learn how to play chess a lot better.

If what worked before to improve doesn’t work anymore, try something different, or add other things to your training, and learn how to implement these new training tools you are adding.

That’s what I’m doing now. I’m refraining from talking specifics about books, videos or whatever, as that is beyond the scope of this post.

A good way of getting confidence with playing chess is joining a club that plays speed chess and play as many 15 minute games as possible. Always play with the clock.

Hopefully I can get back to my old rating someday. Wish me luck, I’ll need it.

I actually believe "intimidate them back" is awful advice. They are probably just as nervous as you are, but you are being deliberate with being mean to them; we want to make the game of chess friendlier, not descend to brutishness. 

As for me saying that claim about 1000s being terrible, I challenge you to find the post where I said that. I'm virtually certain no such post exists @CheesePrix2314

It's not a post. It's a chat. From "that" account.

Not really sure that "that" account is, but if it is chat between two people, then that is generally intended to be private, so please don't go invading the privacy of someone else and you as I'm pretty sure the 1000 comment you are confusing me with someone else. -_-

1) My memory is bigger than the whole universe, I won't confuse you with someone else

2) Hippity hoppity your privacy is now my property

Just don't be intimidated. Those other people are most probably feeling the same as you and remember that confidence will grow overtime as you improve at the game.