Pick my opponents game apart

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I'm in the 1800's on the site, and a few months back I lost to an 800 player. He was excited he won, and asked me about the game (I had dropped pieces and just generally played poorly). I was honest, and told him I was watching Monday Night Football and also rebalancing my fantasy football teams via the waiver wire, and I wasn't paying attention like ...[text shortened]... tulate my opponent. Dignity is one of the few things we can control here, so I try!

Paul

I know when I loose a game it is MY fault, but I always congratulate my opponent for his ability to take advantage of my errors. I find it more shameful to admit to being complacent... The truth is though, I find it harder to play players rated 1500-1600 then most higher rated players (including 1900s).

Originally posted by orion25
I know when I loose a game it is MY fault, but I always congratulate my opponent for his ability to take advantage of my errors. I find it more shameful to admit to being complacent... The truth is though, I find it harder to play players rated 1500-1600 then most higher rated players (including 1900s).

Yep, it was not one of my better moments. I think he asked me what was up, and I probably elaborated more than I should have. Lesson learned. Actually, LESSONS learned, as I no longer attempt to multitask when playing!

Originally posted by orion25
I know when I loose a game it is MY fault, but I always congratulate my opponent for his ability to take advantage of my errors. I find it more shameful to admit to being complacent... The truth is though, I find it harder to play players rated 1500-1600 then most higher rated players (including 1900s).

why is that? is it because of the crazy positions that lower rated players are want to make having no concept of positional features?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
why is that? is it because of the crazy positions that lower rated players are want to make having no concept of positional features?

For me there is little pressure playing a stronger player, and more when I play a weaker player. I mean the weakest can beat the strongest on any given day.

I think mostly it's the self induced stress that goes with the game.

Oh, you didn't ask me, disregard my post as normal. 😉

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
why is that? is it because of the crazy positions that lower rated players are want to make having no concept of positional features?

well, it probably doesn't have 1 reason but a whole bunch if them, your suggestion is one of them of course, I loose my way and find myself in completely new positions, but the most important reason is that once I have a small advantage I somehow think there is no comeback possible. Also I think that a reasonable move is good enough to beat a weaker player, and so take much less (1/5th or so) time about deciding what move to make. This is even more true if I find myself with a big game load and am running low on time or have many moves to be made (like now). Or maybe it just feels like I play worse against weaker players because the game is less interesting, I like a challenge and to put my higher rated player in some difficult situation, while against a weaker player I have no interest in playing a good game because I don't believe they will be able to give one to me. Many many reasons...

Originally posted by Ice Cold
For me there is little pressure playing a stronger player, and more when I play a weaker player. I mean the weakest can beat the strongest on any given day.

I think mostly it's the self induced stress that goes with the game.

Oh, you didn't ask me, disregard my post as normal. 😉

lol, why would i disregard it, it contains much that is sound 🙂

Originally posted by orion25
well, it probably doesn't have 1 reason but a whole bunch if them, your suggestion is one of them of course, I loose my way and find myself in completely new positions, but the most important reason is that once I have a small advantage I somehow think there is no comeback possible. Also I think that a reasonable move is good enough to beat a weaker player, ...[text shortened]... a good game because I don't believe they will be able to give one to me. Many many reasons...

yes, this is the psychology of the matter, my friend scriabin rated (1775) has an interesting method, he simply plays tactically sound moves and waits for his opponent (me), to make a mistake, and then once it has arisen, he is relentless with the initiative. it may be a simple misplacement upon which he gets a tempo or two, or a pawn formation that he is able to exploit ( i hate isolated pawns and he knows it). i myself know that i cannot win tactically and to face constant pressure with no real targets is more than i can bare! its the disengagement, its so annoying!