Why are OTB games harder?

I have played in many over the board tournaments and find one thing that happens every time...  800 players in real life play like 1300 players on chess.com...  Any one know why??

So shouldn't OTB games be easier?

Well...  After all the practice with 1400 players... They SHOULD be,  that is why I asked on chess.com.  I do not know why they are harder.

I think is the pool of players. The players in a OTB tournament generally are better trained than a casual player in chess.com.

im only about 100-200 higher rated on chess.com

OTB tournament play is more serious of course, but 800 to 1900 is a big exaggeration.

I think it's the commute to OTB that gets 'ya.

Maybe not 1900 level... But still...

Different rating pools.

Yes... I have played  (and seen.)  900 players kill, and draw 1600s in real life.  I am a 1175, and in real life... I have drawn  1300-1600 players very often and won the day from time to time...  Are ratings in real life just wrong?

No but a higher rating doesn't mean you win 100%of the time.

My USCF rating is 1970 regular, 2057 quick, and 1550 here.  A little bit of a difference, but then, I don't get wasted before I play OTB.

I've seen 1100s beat 1600s, 1600s beat 2200s, and a 2200 beat Roman D at a small event in Connecticut (RD was 2600+ USCF at the time).  I think it's just that there's a difference in attitude in OTB that isn't present in any on-line play; your opponent is in front of you, you can see him thinking, and that affects how you play (some times for the good).  You can't duplicate that through a moniter.

I'm not sure about your math, but what I am saying is that you should expect to drop a few hundred rating points if you get wasted before you play; OK?

Much harder i see less tactics and i play more defensively

OTB players are serious chess players who concentrate and play to win. That alone makes them much tougher than similarly rated online players

Hi

I find OTB games easier, I'm much more focused and I get distracted less

Very different atmosphere since your opponent is a person instead of a profile picture

And OTB your opponent can see you squirm.

pheromones