Afraid to play

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Avatar of Going4Draw
Now that I broke 1500, I suddenly am afraid to play. Need help!
Avatar of BanixU64

Howdy bro, maybe that went through my head when I was at 1500, just play with what you know and have fun playing but if you don't feel prepared you can openings and key moves and plays to avoid losing your level and keep advancing, just be respectful when playing thumbup

Avatar of Going4Draw

I'll enjoy my rating while it last :grimace

Avatar of BanixU64

hehe yeah, but you can still find one or another rude or bad that those are annoying

Avatar of Totally_Winsome

Be brave courageous and bold!  Just don't play when you can't summon the proper focus, don't play on a losing streak, play when you are able to focus.  Playing higher-rated players will advance your rating and if you lose, you won't lose much if they outrank you, so if it costs you a point or two for a loss, you will recover.

Avatar of Totally_Winsome

And remember, if you can't lose, you can't play, and if you can't play, you can't win either!

Avatar of Going4Draw

Thanks no pain no gain I guess

Avatar of mythofsys

Hope you don't mind advice from a much lower rated player, but I think the only way forward is to accept now that you WILL definitely fall below 1500 again. Ratings peak and trough, no two ways about it. You'll meet stronger opponents, and you'll lost a few. But you'll adjust and improve and go beyond 1500 to a new peak in due course. If you stop now you've maxed out. I certainly intend to go beyond 1500 in my life, I imagine you do too.

Avatar of Chuck639
Going4Draw wrote:
Now that I broke 1500, I suddenly am afraid to play. Need help!

Congrats on 1500.
I know the feeling after tilting 90 points and getting it all back.

Like somebody mentioned , working on preparation and focus before you play. I will do rated puzzles or review lines quickly before I play; it may take 10 minutes or an hour.

1500 is my goal at the moment.

Avatar of KeSetoKaiba
Going4Draw wrote:
Now that I broke 1500, I suddenly am afraid to play. Need help!

I like to think of ratings in terms of milestones and goals. In this case, 1500 rating is an exciting milestone (I still remember how excited I was upon crossing 1500 chess.com rating for the first time!) and NOTHING can change the fact that you've reached it. True you might temporarily drop rating and true you might drop below 1500 again (statistically it is actually likely you will drop below it multiple times and recover), but even this doesn't change the fact that your 1500 milestone was accomplished happy.png

It is good to celebrate the little victories as well as the bigger accomplishments on our chess journeys. Of course, sitting on your 1500 rating indefinitely will halt your improvement and take away any chance at reaching an even higher milestone (like 1600), so when you feel ready, get back out there and keep working on your chess rating happy.png

Avatar of Chuck639

I also look at middle game plans to see what kind of playable positions I will reach by going thru the master games explorer, my game analysis and even running lines against the engine.

This will help you improve at the intermediate level (1400-1900) and stretch out the time in between playing.

Avatar of BanixU64

it is very nice to see people who support you

Avatar of Going4Draw

Thanks everyone I'm definitely playing higher rated players. Not below 1500 so I wouldn't lose it fast

Avatar of gdmufz

It's a hard thing to overcome. Try to see chess is not a competition but a thing to learn. And you progress by playing (not by winning)

Avatar of barvinoq

just play and that's it. Do not worry about the rating on this site, the main thing here is that you pay money and that's it ))

Avatar of Going4Draw

Lol what, pay money?! 🤣

Avatar of barvinoq

yes, here if you did not know to improve in aspects of the game - you have to pay money

Avatar of AllOutForTheWin

Don't worry about your rating

Avatar of Mike_Kalish

It's not complicated....it couldn't be simpler. Regardless of your rating and regardless of your trend line.....in fact, regardless of any other variables, there are only two options. 

1. Show up and play.

2. Quit and throw in the towel. 

No one can help you. You just need to choose 1 or 2. 


Avatar of tygxc

Do not confuse elo and ego.
Contrary to poker it is no money you lose.