How do you know if you are mentally perpared to play a long game of chess? Sometimes Im not 100% when I am playing. This is very frusterating becasuse usually I lose very quickly. I wish there was a mental checklist to keep me from losing my games. Any suggestions?

For your pleasure I have included a blindfold puzzle I was thinking of last night. Pretty sure Ive seen it somewhere else just cant remember. Remember no looky! Post solution here.

white:pawn a7, Nc8, Bh1, Ke3
black:pawns on b7 and e5, Ka8

i know i am ready when my heart is pounding with excitment, i can barely catch my breath, i feel a twinge of anticipation blended with some apprehension that he will be aggressive and try to penetrate my defenses, still i welcome the contact, and make my own advances. then, just as the first moves are made, i fall into it completely and surrender totally to caissa.

that sounds like a night out at the strip club with chessvanity.

Originally posted by likeforest
[remember. Remember no looky! Post solution here.

white:pawn a7, Nc8, Bh1, Ke3
black:pawns on b7 and e5, Ka8[/b]b]How do you know if you are mentally perpared to play a long game of chess? Sometimes Im not 100% when I am playing. This is very frusterating becasuse usually I lose very quickly. I wish there was a mental checklist to keep me from losing ...[text shortened]... d a blindfold puzzle I was thinking of last night. Pretty sure Ive seen it somewhere else just cant

Originally posted by likeforest
that sounds like a night out at the strip club with chessvanity.

when you do CTS for a long time, you learn to judge your mental state better and better. I suppose the same would happen over time with playing normal games, but CTS gives you a fast and accurate quantitive evaluation of your performance. which makes it easier to learn how your performance relates to how you feel.

like now, I'm slowly getting better from a flu. I feel 'ok' otherwise, but I also know I can't perform better than 1580 at 90% success rate, no matter how I try. but in a couple of days 1600 will be easy again.

Good idea, maybe ill just grind out some CTS to see how I feel before I start playing a game.

For me its always about focus. I can focus whether i'm sick or healthy. Its when I am distracted that I play worse then normal. You just got to forget about everything else but that game, that moment. Once you're in a zone, you're ready.

My personal Check list
1. Clear Your mind.
2. Don't Relax
3. Focus your mind into the Zone.

Originally posted by likeforest
How do you know if you are mentally perpared to play a long game of chess? Sometimes Im not 100% when I am playing. This is very frusterating becasuse usually I lose very quickly. I wish there was a mental checklist to keep me from losing my games. Any suggestions?

For your pleasure I have included a blindfold puzzle I was thinking of last night. ...[text shortened]... ber no looky! Post solution here.

white:pawn a7, Nc8, Bh1, Ke3
black:pawns on b7 and e5, Ka8

Originally posted by MetBierOp
If the question is white to move and stalemate black, the the solution is Ke3-e4 😏

Wait! Kingwalk. The white king walks to b6. (takes 4 moves). The black pawn walks to queen (also 4 moves), Then 5.Bxb7#.

so the question was white to move and mate in 5.
nice problem especially blindfolded!

Its actually white to play and mate in two. Sorry for not including who was to move. Speaking of moving, are you ready to resign yet?

1.Ke4,b6(or b5) 2.Kxe5 mate