Greetings!

I hope all is well.  The problem I (the casual player) have is that I cannot get out of my highly-focused mindset and concentration.  I tend to overlook, overanalyize and miss the what the opponent is thinking and planning.  Have many of you had this problem?  If so, how do you deal with it?

Best,
-me

If that happens get up and walk around and analyze other people's games quickly before going back to your board

You are highly focussed and concentrate a lot but overlook/overanalyze stuff? 

These might indicate that you're studying more than you are actually playing and as a result, you have way too much information upstairs that your brain is not processing in harmony during your actual games.  If this is indeed the case, consider practicing with a ton of slow games, have a stronger player go over your losses and let him hear you out during the times when you overlooked/analyzed or missed out the opponent's plans.  He'll see patterns of mistakes and will help you deal with the more glaring ones first.

Another thought: Are you perhaps pushing too hard at getting better really quick?  It seems that you need to come up with a cleaner thought process (no more overlooking) and more confidence in your moves (no more overanalyzing) before anything else can be done to help you.

There's nothing wrong in being "zoned" into the game ... it does take a lot of concentration and calculation at various points, but at the same time, you want to fix the "glaring" problems first and then work your way towards the more nuanced problems in your game.

Consider looking up NM Dan Heisman's Novice Nooks online : he specializes in problems with people's "chess thought process" .

Step 1: First thing into your head when your opponent moves is: Why did my opponent do that? Whats the INITIAL threat? 

Step 2: Once youve figured out your opponents most reasonable plan, analyze away my friend....analyze away. Which could include development, improve your position, defend, go on the offensive etc...

...I have this wierd habit of seeing the move that I wish my opponent would make and that would set things up perfectly for me which is completely ridiculous.  I've tried to stop but I catch myself doing it again and again

I would say sleep plays an important role. For example sleep for half as many hours as regularly. Then try playing some games. Then try playing an excessive amount of games. The result will be many unnecessary blunders. Afterwards and after a long rejuvenating rest, go looks up those games and try to create a signal system. Then end result is a keener sense of danger when faced with a weakening concentration and fatigue. I easily play 150 points fewer when I am tired.

I've had this problem ever since my neck injury.  I get distracting dull pain occasionally and its really hard to focus. When I was on my game I was beating 2000+ players on here, but when I was off it I was losing to 1150- players.

The best answer is probably to focus on your games on here only when you are in a good mood for chess.  As for live, make sure you get a good nights sleep, and are eating properly before and after your games, stay hydrated, and try and play when you aren't experiencing other distracting stress in your life.

Nomesty,

If you dont mind, my suggestions are as under;

--Forget that you have this problem,I play in natural play,as I played the game with you,I generly loose the game,but dont mind it,I accept it ,Think not to reapt the mitakes, As a design Engineer, Ithink many a times, conclusion is falls, than I make a almost correct move, But  some times errors are beyond imaginations, then what can one do,just to learn by mistake. I think this should be the way ,in our real life also.Plz. don.t under estimate yourself

and over confident also.

Your friend for ever,    Jagdish