I set the alarm early, and usually get up to start playing chess before it goes off. I've been a morning person since I had a paper route in the early 1970s. Bad times for me to play well are early afternoon and late evening, but coffee helps me cope with these moments.

Hey Reb, since you are kinda sorta close to 2300 do you aspire to FM status? I know points come dearly at that level, so...yes no or maybe?

 My current goal is to get the FM title and the closest I have been to date is 2240  fide. My biggest problem is that I dont go to Spain enough to play in fide classic events but that will soon change. Portugal has only one classic Open event each year and this hurts me. Rapid chess is too popular in Portugal and its practically all they have/play. I also do get to play fide rated classic games in the team events I often play in but thats only a handful of games each year.

Day or night, it depends on the energy and the mood that someone has during the game... if someone is psychologically ruined,he can loose from a much worse player any time...

Aloha Reb, I'm not a morning person, but if gets me few rating points from you, "I'll lower my standards" and accept a draw before you even start playing a serious game, with several cups of coffee or a nice passion tea!

Yes I'm reading your forums and checking out your games, you will be seeing more comments as I see something that interest me!

That's interesting. I actually prefer to play chess around 10:00-12:00 pm.

 that's the spirit!

Actually I don't either, but from the sounds of it was a "Team event so it took 8 people to do this one. Being there all they minus one in train, I wonder what they did instead, hmm, maybe played some "Go" or poker to past the time! Very Sad!!