why do i play better otb than online??

Hello all. For some reason, I play much better OTB than online. My USCF rating is 1907, and my online blitz rating is 1796. Why does this happen, and how can I fix this?

Thanks

Joel

Many chess.com members have a blitz rating 100-200 points less than their rapid. Several factors contribute to this gap such as playstyle, environment and tech.

Some people have a stronger intuition for moves that aren't necessarily the best but don't immediately destroy their own position. Players with a strong intuition and speed will perform better in blitz. Your room, the ambient temperature, and noise can also affect your ability to focus. It may sound kooky, but tidying your room may bolster your focus.

Tech also factors strongly. Get a good mouse and internet connection. Many forum posters complain that they lose time even on premoves because of their connection to the server. Speed is paramount in blitz. For example, I do much better in rapid and blitz than in bullet mainly because I'm a bit slower in calculating and play on a macbook trackpad. I'm sure switching to a mouse would give me a bit more of an advantage when making quick moves under time-pressure.

This sometimes happens because you are able to see better moves OT than online. For most people, it Is the opposite because they find better moves online than OTB. You can fix this by practicing more. There might be another reason, when you play OTB, you want to win a tournament or a trophy, online it is usually casual playing and you don't have pressure to win a trophy.

You can´t compare blitz and classical

As I am older and my eyes are not what they used to be, I think it's harder for me to pick up moves in the two-dimensional online games than in OTB where it's three-dimensional. I seem to blunder pieces a lot more online.

OTB games often have longer time controls, which allow for deeper calculation and more measured decisions. Blitz, on the other hand, forces you to make quicker moves, and even small errors can be more costly.

The blitz ratings here at your level are somewhat deflated.