lawlevin - let  me just say, I feel your pain.

   I play on Chessmaster myself, although not as much as Fritz, but I do find myself getting a little stressed out. Trying to deal with a sub-par position being down material can make anyone's game dark. But forcing the action is not that good either, like you said, it leads to a quick loss. If you find that you are holding your own against personalities rated 1600, then weakening or blundering because of the mental taxation, isn't it possible to pause a rated game? I know it's the not the fairest thing to do and I don't know if it upsets the engine's thinking lines, but if you have to, do that. If you have a chessboard handy, set up the current position on the board and look at it that way, you might see something you don't see in the game. Also, what set do you use in the game? I was a 3D player for years but I got used to the 2D interface here and I see the board a lot clearer overhead.

   If you feel "brain drain" from chess, take a break from it for a little while. I do, especially if I play 5 or 6 games in a day, it would weaken anyone. I hope something in this post helps

   -Mark

The last chessmaster program i played was chessmaster7000 on the top level and sometimes i actually beat it. I should think the newest one will be even stronger and greater quality of graphics and all that then mine was.

As for what you do, you simply keep studying and practicing until you can beat it at higher levels. No short cuts to winning. But i have found that solid positions and skillful attacks do break it down.

Hey Mark, thanks so much for your reply.

I do play a 3D board in CM (I guess I just like the look and feel).  In some of the other programs though, mainly for analysis and such, I choose to use the 2D boards.

I know what you mean about the pausing (or saving) features but that just seems to be a slight cop out.  I feel like I should be able to play the game out in a single session.

I love the game (I guess we all do, that's why we are here).  Something about it though when I reach that point in a game where I seem to have had enough.  I want the game to be over (and of course win at the same time).  Disipline I guess you would call it but that is probably one of the virtues that separate good players from average players.

I know at some point that I will need to get over this hangup.  I like your idea of having a chessboard set up to help visualize it better.  Maybe I'll give that a shot.  At least it would provide a diversion which is possibly what I need to get through this.

Thanks,
Larry

Maybe more of an attacking approach from the early stages of the game might help.  I tend to be very defensive which draws these games out seemingly forever.  If nothing else the loss would come faster.  But so could a win!

What do you think?

   Larry - I love the 3D boards too, but honestly, 2D has improved my board vision a lot.

   As for the long game brain drain, I agree it is a cop-out. I mean I know there is no NFL timeout rule in chess, but sometimes, it is necessary. I've done it a time or two against CM but in training games, not in rated. Like you, I try to go through the game all the way and if there is a lost position with no way out, even by keeping a chessboard on the side with the current position set-up, if you have the time playing rated(I go 90 minutes per player), take a look at the tangible board and try to think it through. If you still see no way out, it might just be good to resign. Being checkmated is not fun. Good luck!

   -Mark

I can imagine playing solely against computers could take it's toll.  The benefit is you're never playing a move hoping your silicon opponent will be fooled into something.  And every move you're looking out for the dangerous moves your opponent can try against you. 

But I think it's important to play human players too -- humans make mistakes, but also play more practically... they play a game similar to your own where moves are not based on pure calculation.  For example when losing humans wont play the objectively best defense all the time, but will try to complicate the position for you and avoid trades more than a computer would.  This also is good experience for an aspiring chess player.