I Was Playing too Many Chess Games!

Reposted October 17, 2019 . . .

I started playing chess on May 14, 2012 on the Geezer Team  Group. Little by little I joined more group matches with simul games. I started winning.

I tried to join a match that said I had to have 50 games played. So I joined other groups and joined their matches. Eventually I was playing 24 or so games at once. I now have about 88 games played and 17 pending.

I had grown tired of trying to win, tired of trying not to lose, trying not to blunder and trying to make a good moves.

I never play for a tie. I couldn't wait for all the 18 games I had left to end. Too bad there wasn't a way to withdraw from them all, other than "RESIGNING."

I only have 8 my games that left now. Here is my profile.

http://www.chess.com/members/view/DENVERHIGH

Then click on games.

I resigned from many of them. I lost about 170 rating points. When I resigned from each game, a new ones started automatically. So I played one move in each and resigned immediately.

I went on Vacation for several weeks and then came back with a better attitude.

Of course people didn't like when I went on vacation.

I did have minor surgery but that is passing.

                               (Sigh . . _)

Vacation definitely! I feel the same way on Thursday, but on Sunday I want to play a game of chess. Vacation.

After you finish the remaining games, take a vacation from chess. After a few weeks, your enthusiam shall return. P.S. Don't start a game or accept new challenges. Finish all the remaining games.

I am not taking any new games. My groups keep saking me but I don't accept.

I know all this games are going to take several more months of play. By the way things have been going. In four months it will be a year of playing.

It must be Chess burn out.

Perhaps you could explain your situation to some of your more sympathetic group members and ask for a draw? I personally would finish all my remaining games (which I plan to do in the summer, just so I can read chess books and play OTB), but if you are feeling extremely burnt out, try it. I doubt many will accept a draw unless they are flat out losing, but it is worth the effort.

Or simply offer a draw in any games you are currently winning. That should knock out a few of them.

Tjornan:

That is a good Idea. I hadn't ever asked anybody for a draw except the I have a perpetual check in a game. Hmm . . 

Thanks, I will try that and see what happens. I would have to send each of them a link to this post to they can see why I was asking for the draw.

no. resign from anything where you're down a pawn or more. don't make your opponents wait around like that. f*** your rating. if you're that calibre you'll get it back. if you do take weeks off, the last thing you're going to want to do is pick up those miserable games where you made moves without your heart in the game. all you'll see is mistakes. 

resign anything that's losing and see where you're head is at. 

88 games at once is exhausting to me, I couldn't even imagine that.  My 50 at once was even too many. 

Although you rating is very strong, good luck!

Thanks axhed for a different prospective on rosining. I will consider that. In some games it will effect the outcome since they are tournament games and there is a prize for the winners.

Denver, the game of chess is sometimes more than a game of chess, so, yes, too many at the same time is overwhelming.

Is the question: To what end the game of Chess in your life? 32 pieces on a gridded board (it wasn't always black and white squares) what purpose?

Well, that's up to you to say. There's no shame in resigning every game you're playing right now. I did at the end of last Summer when three of my friends all died ... I just wasn't doing right by pushing wood around the board. So I resigned them all.

When I started again (one at a time) I found myself actually liking to help new people learn the game. Heck I actually helped some beat me. Go figure!

But I started realizing that, it was more than the game I was playing. I have a sketck book with at least seven new pieces that I invented for the game. Funny pieces, too. My favorite is the Cow. Each side has one cow, it can move like a Knight, only one square shy (one up one over) it moves (or moooves) twice, and then it stays where it is, un-takeable, unmovable. Silly pieces like that. Then somehow I found myself in the thick of bunches of games. It was an accident, really. I would want to make a move with someone I was already playing (my turn), but I would press that PLAY CHESS button...and end up starting a new one.

Then the groups and the teams and the matches,....dang.

Too much. Right now I have 104 unread massages in my inbox. I don't want to play match games like I'm some kind of robot.

I DO want to play new people and help them beat me. THAT'S fun.

I want to keep making up pieces (the lawyer piece...makes deals to get back lost pieces) THAT'S fun.

Some people are fun to play because they teach you new things. 960 Chess, from FisherFan. clivingston and those unruy three minute games. THAT'S fun! Friends. THAT'S fun. Pretty girls...woohoo. Some of those play me, too. And they can keep on "playing" me because THAT'S fun!

But... what's "fun" for Denver? Can you make chess give you what's fun, sir? If you can, then aim for that goal. But then again...you don't even have to play the game to enjoy it. (the turtle piece. Moves one step at a time, but only after every third move)

I have canvases with chess pieces on them. That's fun. For me.

I have a friend in Cambridge with cancer, doing chemo therapy. If I lived anywhere in England, I would go see him. He made his own chess pieces. But I live in the USA. And everyone I've asked lives way too far to go visit.

Is there a nearby hospital that would let me play in the lobby? Maybe.

(tigertrap piece. It leaves a marker behind it that takes a piece that lands on it)

oh, feathers, Denver. You can do whatever you put your mind to. Without knowing too much about you, I would venture to say, a lot of people would miss you if you leave. I like you just for your avatar. A "hippy" Einstein? THAT'S just what the world needed.

Denverhigh, you should take a vacation where the river is deep and the mountain is high.

Mister Boneman:

Thanks Geezer for your lenghty comment. With many different thought of yours, which have made me think of mine. I know eventually I will find the fun I used have in chess. 

I miss teaching the after school kids club. I will go do that again. Thanks for your input.

Here is what I posted in my profile when I was high on chess.

http://www.chess.com/members/view/DENVERHIGH

Hi DENVERHIGH,

If your pursuits are narrow, after a while you tend to burn out easily, and need time away to refresh yourself. If vacation is allowed, take it, if not you may want to consider resigning those games you think you would eventually loose anyway...or stick it out till these games are through, and then take that break that you need. In any event, remember that in the grand scheme of things, these games are not that important...if you have stopped having fun, then you need a change immediatly...and focus on more rewarding stuff that you have forsaken.

All the Best.

Take a vacation, your opponents have other games. I honestly do not see why anyone can complain. I never even notice when my opponents take one. All I do is check and see which games are on my turn, make a move, and ignore the rest. if someone ever ran up vacation time to annoy me, they would be sorely dissapointed, because I wont even know until vacation time is over and the game pops back up on my grid.

You are entitled to all your vacation time, take it as needed.

Renember,its only a game,not life itself,if u feel that its getting 2 much 4 u,give it a rest,untill u fee,look at all the peoplel that u want 2 start again,oh and there is no shame in losing,or even a draw,2 win at all costs,is just not worth it.The fact that u try is what counts,but if u r losing ur enjoyment,take a break,b ur own master and make ur own decisions and when u feel that u want 2 return,come back,but not untill u actualy feel that u want 2.

You might decide that you are not a slave to this stuff, and just do as you wish, in clear concience. Remember, YOU are the only one who gives a hoot about your rating 

I always have to take a break once in a while.  I have a few hobbies and I tend to rotate my interest from one to another once in a while.  I got a little burnt out on chess a while back and took a break while I pursued other interests, then here recently the bug bit again and I got back into it.  Now that one of my other hobbies is cosuming my interest, I'll take another short break from chess as soon as I finish the few games I have left.  No matter what you're interested in, it seems like you always have to take a break once in a while.  If you're not having fun doing it, you definitely need a break.

As for your rating dropping, I wouldn't worry about it.  Just play a bunch of games when you get back into it at players rated around your current level and it should bounce back up in no time.

I Went to all the game that were my moves and I made moves that before I never considered. I actually enjoyed making moves without regard as to the safety or unreasonable of the move and I even had fun. 

Some of the games progressed quickly and they should finish soon. 

I think that I was taking too much time trying to be cautious.

I offered someone a draw but it was ignored. So I might as well play without fear and let the games end. Better than resigning.

My friends, Thanks for all your suggestions and encouragements.      

Denver

Chess is just a game. It used to be great to entertain a lady or to discuss with a friend. It went wrong when somebody started to give points and when winning became more important than entertaining each other. But nobody says it has to be about winning. So well done Denver !!