Chess Psychology

Chess is much more than attack and defense. Psychology is an integral element of chess. To win a game, tournament, or match, one needs to be strong not only in chess but in the psychological sense as well. Every chess player can recall moments when he/she could not recover from a terrible loss (or draw) and kept losing points in other rounds. Sometimes they were surprised by a twist of the game and could not adjust to it. In this series, IM Lawrence Trent tells you all about psychology in chess!

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How To Bluff Can you bluff in chess, a game of perfect information? You sure can, especially if your opponent is human. IM Lawrence Trent shows you three positions where bluffing can be a powerful psychological weapon.

How To Win "Won" Games Winning a "won game" is easier said than done. Learn the psychology of putting away your opponents when you have them on the ropes.

How To Defend It's fun to play from a winning position, but do you have the stomach—and strong will—to defend a worse position in chess? Learn from some of the best players ever on how to put up the best possible resistance on the chessboard, and see the mindset required to do so.

Trust Your Intuition Calculation plays an important role in all chess games, but unless you run on silicon and electricity, intuition is a big part, too—even for a world chess champion. Learn the psychology of "trusting your gut" to win a chess game

A Must-Win Situation Have you ever felt the pressure of a must-win or must-draw situation in an important chess tournament? You know that psychology is a big part of the game during crucial times. Watch this video to learn how to use that to your advantage.