I can't focus enough in OTB!

I'm currently playing a 9 round tournament and I lost the first three rounds, although in the middlegame I outplayed all of my opponents! As the game is closing to an end I make incredibly blunders! All the time! Look at the game I played today. I missed a move which could have won a rook in one move, and then I lost a pawn and the game!

I also tire too easily and blunder.

Did you make your 30 move quickly? Where you calculating lines from your 18-20 move?

The 18th and 19th move didn't need calculation. They are positionally speaking very good moves, first computer choices actually. I've got full control of the e file and the rook on c8 is unmovable. I think you're speaking about my 31th move. Yes, pretty quickly. But it wasn't because of the hurry. I just went blind. And it happens very frequently. Instead of gaining a rook, I even lost a pawn. Incredible!

I diden't mean to suggest that they needed calculation, I was just trying to look for a reason why you lost focus. Your right I meant 31. Rdg2??.

I'm also wondering why I make such terrible oversights so frequently. I am not mad because I lost, but because I lost a winning position!

Krestez, your 31st WAS because you were in a hurry. I was having the same sort of issues with OTB about 6 months ago until I did a little research into over the board procedure. One peculiar peice of advice is from Mikhail Botvinnik, one of the finest trainers ever. Once I started doing this, alot (not all) of my "foggy moves" disappeared. You literally need to talk to yourself. Don't just "think" about your position, but actually take the time to formulate words and sentences about your position in your head. Also acknowledge any emotion that is bubbling up. OTB is extremely stressful and its easy to get caught up in the internal drama of a game. Also you want to make sure to look at EVERY SINGLE square on the board with practically every move.

Sometimes we can get tunnel vision, I can't answer why you didn't play 31.Kf2!. Your opponent would have probably resigned right after that move.

Perhaps, your not getting enough rest, or getting a proper diet. Sorry for your tough loss's. Chess is not an easy game, danger can come from nowhere anytime. You have to stay alert all the time.

Something you already know. Perhaps you went into this game thinking it didn't really matter, since you had already lost the previous 2, pick yourself up, and always play your best. Thats all any of us can do. Good luck on your future games.

in the rook ending why did you allow counterplay with 23.Ke3 you should've played 23.g3 preventing black from opening a file/having a backward pawn to target to gain counter play

and 31.Kf2 traps the rook

I know. That's what this post is about. I don't know how I missed it.

You know Krestez, even GM's make blunders. We are all human. We make mistakes. The best thing we can do about that, is to accept it, and try to learn from them, so we don't continue to make the same one over, and over again.

If you know you are rushing, then you know you need to practice on slowing down, and take 2, or more looks at the position before you make your move, try sitting on your hands, try 3-4 deep breathes, get up and splash cold water in your face.

You may have to try different things. Everyone is different. This will still not totally eliminate mistakes on your behalf however. It should help with the number of them though. No one is immune from making an error. Good luck on finding how to minimize them in your own games.

take it as a lesson learnt and move on to the next game, sure you won't miss that again. chess is a game of reflection.

in my last OTB tourney i won only one game out of four :(

is internet chess killing my OTB play?