One thing I've noticed, with this online chess milarky, is that I find it much harder to get into my "chess" mood. My playing style tends to rely on positional play and just a general "feel" for the game, instead of thinking too many moves ahead.

This tends to mean I can sometimes play really well, without ever really analysing why, but then if I'm not in the right frame of mind it can easily turn to disaster. (though I'm quite a low-level chess player in the first place)

Basically, I was wondering if any of you other peeps have the same problem, and how you get yourself into that chessy mood, or if you can just automatically play well. Half the time I feel like I'm battling myself as much as my opponent...

 

study tactics! that always envigorates me. seriously, it reminds me of how beautiful the game is.

yes! i understand entirely the other day i made the correct replie to kings indian defence, but not because i knew what it was because it felt right i look upon evey game as a lesson and take what i can from it. although my chess head is always on when im one just because i love  the game....

I will agree with you. The times when I make blunders are always in the same period I'm playing, and it's usually the same for good moves. Sometimes I just leave the computer after playing moves in some games, and I'm proud as I played very good in all the games and took advantages, or got out of nasty situations. And at other times, in all my games it seems I've only made blunders and missed better moves and lost advantages I had grabbed the last time. My point is, it very rarely happens that I will make very good moves and blunders during the same "sitting".

Though I am not a psychologist I would imagine that the reasons are two fold. For one thing we are social by nature, and though we are playing a game with another person on line it can feel sort of flat without some form of interaction with the other person. Another reason may be more related to our 3 dimensional world. A real chess board and pieces both feel and look so different, alive even, but the Internet is still a one dimensional atmosphere. The board and pieces appear flat, and literally lack feeling. 

I don't know... I just try to concentrate on the position, analyze only one game at the same time, trying to find the move that gives me better feelings. It's not necessary to perform a deep analysis of each position you reach, just let your intuition tell you where you should take special attention at possible tactic combinations.