Overcome your Fear of Appearing Foolish: What I Learned from Losing (yet again😔) to a GM
Hey Impressive Chessers!
In this blog, we’re diving into a classic “do as I say, not as I do” moment. You’ll see exactly what I mean when I break down my tragic (but instructive!) game against GM Enrico Sevillano. Along the way, we’ll explore how the fear of appearing foolish can actually sabotage your growth and performance, even when your intentions are good.
Now, the fear of looking foolish isn’t always bad. In fact, it can motivate us to think more deeply, to prepare more carefully, and to respect our opponents. But when that fear becomes paralyzing, it leads to serious downsides: poor time management, lack of confidence, and worst of all, a fear of making mistakes so strong that it prevents you from actually learning from them.
The Setup
Let me set the stage. This was round 3 of the very strong 2016 Southern California Championships. I was sitting at a disappointing (but not shocking) 0/2. One of the hardest parts of playing in Round Robins is that even though I had 0/2, my next opponent was going to be just as hard (if not harder) than the last. In this case it was a GM: Enrico Sevillano. At that point, my lifetime score against him was 0-8 with no draws. For some reason, I had only been White twice in all those games. So I hoped this would be the time I’d break the streak.
Spoiler: it wasn’t. (In fact, my only win came much later, in the second-to-last round. Phew!)
Puzzle #1: How did I finish off my only win in the 2016 SCCF Championships?*
*Disclaimer: There is more than 1 good move. I'm just asking if you can guess what I played*
The Game & Takeaways
Puzzle #2
The critical moment came between moves 12 and 21. I burned a ton of time here, not just because the position was sharp, but because I didn’t want to look like a fool. And, ironically, that’s foolish thinking.
In hindsight, trusting myself and playing more quickly might have given me enough time to shift plans and find 22. Rhd1!, which could have changed everything.
But GM Sevillano is a seasoned pro. He did what great players do when they’re in trouble: he changed the character of the position. He took the sting out of my attack and dragged me into an endgame; one I wasn’t ready for. That’s a huge lesson. If your opponent is attacking you, consider simplifying, even into a slightly worse endgame, because it takes them out of “attack mode.” They may keep pressing when they shouldn’t.
Likewise, if you’re being squeezed positionally, change the narrative. Force your opponent to deal with an attack; even if it’s not fully sound. Most players struggle with adapting to a sudden change in tone, especially if they’re low on time from overthinking or second-guessing.
That brings us back to the core point: don’t be afraid to look foolish. If your idea works, great! You trusted your intuition. If it doesn’t, you’ve got real material to work on with a coach. That kind of honest failure is 10x more instructive than a safe, forgettable draw where you learned nothing.
Conclusion
It’s okay to look foolish. It’s not okay to freeze up out of fear. Trust your instincts, play your moves, and allow yourself the grace to get it wrong. That’s how you grow, not just as a chess player, but as a thinker. And who knows, maybe the next time you sit down across from a Grandmaster, you’ll give yourself the grace to appear foolish and you'll...
...Stay impressive!
NM Craig C.
linktr.ee/ChessToImpress
