In the late-50s there was an English author called Michael Green who wrote a series of books called "The Art of Coarse Moving/Rugby etc". I may be wrong about the author but I recall him writing about how to psyche out the chess opponent using such stratagems as coughing, sneezing, muttering etc. Anyone recall this or got a copy? It's much along the lines of this thread and it's hilarious.
I understand some players breach the rules when the tournament directer is not looking. Petrosian had a habit of taping his foot. There are trick used to distract players at the highest level. It was said that the KGB showed a player a gun and said that Spassky better win. To his credit Fischer was respectful toward his opponent. He did not use tricks to distract his opponent. His before the game and after the game stunts are another thing.
There is a local master who relies heavily on psychology.
I was paired against him, and he already had his board set up, but I had the black pieces. Under US rules, I chose to use my set and board. I have a glossy tan and red wooden set.
"I can object to the red pieces", griped the master. "Go ahead", I replied. Sure enough, the TD ruled in his favor - not because the pieces were red, but because they were shiny.
All was not lost, however. I noticed his jacket was already thrown over a chair on the roomier side of the table, so I asked him, "Isn't it true that Black also selects which side of the table to sit?".
His face fell immediately until a thought hit him. "I'll let you use the red pieces if you'll give me that side". So a compromise was reached. Unfortunately, I lost the game.
I think it's a bit childish that a strong player feels the need to use such tactics, but it nicely illustrates some of the eccentricities typical to chess players.
Originally posted by AlopintoDon't you think it's more of a joke.I for one,don't really stare at my oppo's,as I posted here.And I don't think the other posters act the way they describe in their posts.Though some might....
The person that initiated this thread and the people that suggested ways to annoy your opponent over the board should be ashamed of their unsportsmanlike attitude. This is the type of destructive behavior that is only condoned by a losser...
haha these are great ones...i must admit i have noded a couple of times at the opponents move after they didn't fall for a tactic...this guy from our club is always muttering stuff to himself...i always think his saying, take take take but no idea.... the best one i've heard though is ........
an opponent highering a hyptonist to site in the audience and state at the other player during a world championship match... i think it was karpov....
read that in a book or video pretty sure it was a video....i'm think gameover that one about kasp.
and i read this one also.... an opponent who was playing tal (i think it was) would not sit at the board with him cus tal has this special hypotising power...so instead he sat at a different board and someone would walk from this board to that making the moves...after tal went to a restaurant with a gm and the waitress was pouring coffee for someone and had her back turned to them... tal told the gm watch this and stared at the waitress's back and she put the coffee pot down immediatley and quickly came rushing to them....hahah thats some power....
I have a couple of tactics for confusion though they are not designed to irritate.
1. Rolling my head
This is more cunning than you might think. By leaning one's head to the side, think of how a dog looks when it's confussed, it pricks it's ears and leans it's head to the side as if bewildered. This has a strange affect on some people. I played a game for my club a while ago. We were evenly matched, my opponent and i, and i started to employ this tactic for diversion around move 20. I spent a couple of minutes looking at my opponents rook, making sure my opponent noticed this. Once i was sure my gambit had been accepted i moved my queen to 'attack' it. It was already defended but my opponent felt he hadn't seen something and defended it again. It was at this moment that i took his knight that was undefended, the queen move was attacking both. Im not sure if i'd have beaten him without this slight of hand. Needless to say i bring this manouver out whenever i notice my opponent is following my line of sight (as some do).
2. The Eye of the Storm
Some players you meet OTB are new to competitive chess. The first few games of a players career are easily the most nerve racking as im sure most club players would agree. Often the player is unsure of their ability to play club standard moves. I find these players can be spotted a mile away and employ the knowing stare. When my opponent is thinking about their move i'll lean forwards slightly to appear impatient. Elbows on the table, hands together on chin, eye's firmly locked on my opponents. Even when they look up, this gaze must be kept unmoved. It is incredibly un-nerving (as i originally had it done to me) and can lead to unforced errors. Think of it as a poker face, you excrete bad vibes and try to remove your opponents confidence in themself. Whenever i finish a game using this tactic i always make a point of being SUPER DOOPER FRIENDLY, as they are generally looking for the exit as soon as play concludes. 😉
Originally posted by Freddie2004I would advise you to just be yourself; that should work.
what's your favourite method? personally i like singing " there may be trouble ahead" when i'm winning. and when loosing i just like to whistle...that really pi*ses them off!
fred
I wear sunglasses and I put my hood up. I chuckle when my oppenent makes his move like he did something wrong. I make jokes. I try to make my oppenent as least concentrated as he can be. I give them fake smiles so that they think they did something wrong. Tomorrow I have a OTB tourny so im reading up on all these types of threads🙂 LOL
Originally posted by RahimKAre people allowed to adjust their opponents' pieces?
I don't do this but i know it would bug a lot of ppl.It bugs me also...whenever u move a pieces place it at the edge of a square, or off center.. Usually the opponent get irriated and says adjust and then adjust the piece but hey its his clock time and it does break concentration ahah...
Originally posted by RahimKWhen the director is not watching 🙂
haha u can't really use these..u're not allowed to make jokes or even talk during the tournay unless if u're offering them a draw...unless u're talking about fun otb tourneys that don't have prizes and aren't rated for real. like cfc,fide,uscf rated..