Round 5 Slow Swiss

I think I've mentioned it before.

Let's repeat it.

LOSING.    GETS.    VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY OLD.

Truth be told, I was dreading this game.  My confidence is REALLY lacking.  I feel like I can't do anything.  So, what is the best thing to do?  Try to do my homework and prepare.  So, I looked at my opponent's old games.  I studied them.  Hmmm... I'm black this game so I determine the opening.  Kind of anyway. And it appears that when my opponent is white, he often plays e4 and it goes into the Ruy Lopez.  Sometimes a french.  Fine.  I kind of like them both.  I'm more familiar with the Ruy Lopez though.  So let me practice that.

so I did a practice game - disaster.  But that's okay - Hopefully, I'll make the mistakes in the practice game and not in the real game.  

Real game comes around.

Move 3 - he is NOT doing the Ruy Lopez.  In fact, he's doing something I'm not used to.

PANIC ATTACK TIME. 

AGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!

"What's wrong?" my opponent asked.

"This isn't the Ruy Lopez!" I wrote.  "I did my homework! You usually play the Ruy Lopez when you're white and that's what I was expecting.  Now I'm STUCK!"

I was told this was the Scotch.

(that is now turning into a 4-letter word in my vocabulary..  I'm HATING that opening with a passion)

"It's an aggressive opening," my opponent remarked.

You don't need aggressive against Cris Angel!!  For cripe's sakes!  Just show up and you'll win!  

Yes, yes... I know.  Don't go into it with a losing attitude.  But as I said, I'm VERY discouraged of late and I'd be lying if I said I felt otherwise.   Once this swiss event is over, I'm getting back to work on basics.  I need some confidence building exercises and we will work on that, tactics and the psychological aspect of my game. 

For now though.

Goals:

1.   Focus as much as possible.  Feel like I'm doing my best given my skill level.    (((((((BUZZZZZZZZZ)))))) I don't think so.

2.   Do NOT give the opponent an easy win.  Make him work for it. ((((((((((BUZZZZZZ))))))))))))  I don't think so. 

3.    Survive 15 moves.  Seriously.  That was a goal I put in my Team group site.  (((((((((((((((((BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ))))))))   Three for three.  STrike out.  

Sigh.

Another disaster. 

I'm told I had a few nice moves though.   AND, I need to learn what I can do against this monstrosity of an opening, so I'm annotating, even if my rear end is still burning from the beating.