One of the tests you might face in your chess games is a quick change of the course of the game. Let’s start by considering a simple situation from a game that I will be sharing with you today. I had a serious advantage and a dangerous attack. My impression was that the game should be over in a few moves, but at some point I suddenly realized things aren’t as bright as they seemed. I had to switch from a reckless checkmating attempt to a slower mode of building up pressure. Otherwise, there would have been a fair chance or playing something crazy. First of all, one should remain calm during the game. If you are ahead, it’s ok, just try to increase the advantage. If you are worse, then search for drawing chances. Both processes are interesting!
 

Another common situation that requires steel nerves: having to switch from winning to defending after making a mistake. If you stay calm, your drawing chances will be much higher. On the contrary, if you are too overexcited and upset, you will probably lose. The worst thing you can do is start blaming yourself for that blunder and daydreaming (“had I not played that, the game would have continued…”). This is a reliable way of losing. Never blame yourself during the game, and stay focused on what is happening on the board.
 

One more interesting case is when you have been on the defensive all game long, and then your opponent makes a mistake that offers you some winning chances. Previously, I would often be too tired to exploit the advantage and just grab the draw asap. Now I am trying to adopt the Karpovian approach – play every position from scratch, don’t let the memories of the past haunt you.
 

The main problem in this respect is inflexible thinking. As I have already mentioned, one should be interested in all the aspects of the game. With due motivation and interest, your chess vision would be brighter, and the chances of overlooking something – lower. We are influenced by our thoughts. If you keep whining mentally - “oh, it’s such a tough defense, while I was expecting to win quickly” – your brain will get tired and bored soon. Instead, tell yourself – “ok, not exactly what I was striving for, but I have a chance to try to make a draw or even outplay him if he offers me the chance”. Your brain will accept the challenge and start functioning as precisely as a Swiss watch.   
 

To sum it all up, maintain dignity and stay calm no matter what happens. Stay focused on the game, and don’t lose interest in it. This will both help you, and might make the opponent nervous (e.g. “why is he so relaxed if he should be resigning already?!”).

Comments (1)

Comments (3)

Comments (6)

Steinitz – 50, 1886

Botvinnik – 37, 1948

Topalov – 30, 2005

Fischer – 29, 1972

Lasker – 26, 1894

Kramnik – 25, 2000

Kazimdzhanov – 25, 2004

Karpov – 24, 1975

Tal – 23, 1960

Kasparov – 22, 1985

Ponomariov – 18, 2002

Rubtsova – 47, 1956

Rudenko – 46, 1950

Bykova – 40, 1953

Xu Yuhua – 30, 2006

Polgar - 27, 1996

Zhu Chen – 25, 2001

Stefanova – 25, 2004

Kosteniuk – 24, 2008

Xie Jun – 21, 1991

Menchik – 21, 1927

Gaprindashvili – 20, 1961

Chiburdanidze – 17, 1978

Hou Yifan – 16, 2010

Comments (3)

Q6: Do you think the fact that there is a special category for women and women choose to play in it instead of playing with the men demeans them in any way?

Q7: I want to become a professional chess player. Can I do it myself, without a coach?

A7: Studying chess without a coach diminishes your efficiency and slows down your progress. Also, if you get used to doing something the wrong way, it is very hard to unlearn. Therefore, you should do your best to find a good coach if you are certain about becoming a pro. Most professional chess players originate from low or medium-income families, so you had better evaluate your career prospects and make investments wisely. 

Comments (1)

Faced with multiple threats in a blitz game, Black resigned. Can you suggest a better option?

Comments (3)

Comments (1)

Comments (1)

Comments (3)