What To Do when they Take Your Queen

W-what? They had a bishop sacrifice exposing your king? Maybe you were winning but didn't notice a passed pawn? Or just plain lost the exchange to a simple fork?

In over-the-board chess, this absolutely crushes you. After a move like this, even if you were winning before and it's not hopeless yet, you're now so terribly frustrated that you feel like it's not even worth playing on- since it's not hopeless enough to resign, you just plunk some pieces around while you wallow in hatred for your terrible, terrible blunder.

But that shouldn't happen! If it's not hopeless yet, and your side still has a chance to draw, you shouldn't let yourself be emotionally crushed by one move until after the game is over! Here are some Top Tips:

1) First off, if you need five or ten minutes to comfort yourself and get over it, it's worth it. When the alternative is playing too fast and losing because you can't concentrate, five or ten minutes down is perfectly okay.

2) Look at the position through the eyes of your opponent. If you were in their place, you wouldn't be saying "oop, it's a sure win, let's sod off for some crisps," would you? (Note: if the position really is completely hopeless- the position, not your feelings- then yeah, you'd resign.)

3) Have a good cry. This one is super important! Crying makes you feel a lot better. If you're nervous about crying in front of your opponent- just think how unnerved they'll be when you come back into the game with your double exclamation mark moves!!

4) Even if you end up losing, you've learnt something from it! So really, you're the winner! Ha, take that Kasparov: looks like I can beat you every game now!