How many misses does it take?

With games, I have to lose 5 in a row before I stop.  That is waiting too long (by 2 games?).  In Puzzles, I seem to be streaking as well.  I dropped 150 points in just a few days.  Today, I gain all but 10 of them back.  And now I just lost them again.

Like a gambler, I do not seem to know where is the 'sweet spot' and when it sours and I should stop.  Does anyone have tricks or methods they use to 'trick' themselves into stopping in time and what clicks in your brain at that moment?

Thank you anyone who answers and please jokes are welcome; I can use lots of jokes this week.  So let me have it ... tell me I'm stupid without saying I'm stupid.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

do what @Fet says

stop playing on your first loss of the day (unless it’s your first game)

@tagzaa ahh, that is certainly going to get thoroughly tested by me! Thank you!!

I would say, don’t worry about your rating. As you improve, it’ll go up steadily. It may drop sometimes, but it will go back up again.

I like to pretend that my ratings are invisible. Chess is a game. You are supposed to have fun. If you’re getting rating anxiety, you can hide your rating, and your opponent’s rating, with Focus Mode.

Playing blitz, I'm happy stopping for the day after getting a good win or two where I genuinely outplayed my opponent, even after many losses. ☺️

EXACTLY @GraysonKellogg ! When I'm good enough, the numbers will automatically show. Thank you for the reminder!! Puzzles felt different - rating was an indicator of an oncoming STREAK and it is these negative streaks (games and puzzles) that I want to stop dead in their tracks.

Even https://www.chessstalker.com/ calls me The Streaker for good reason - I don't seem to know when to stop when I'm playing badly (game or puzzle). I've started a checklist to review my current state-of-being (grumpy, tired, hungry, bored, distracted, excited) suggested by @DocNukey. These will be the clues. Many of us already know some of our triggers but I can be oblivious.

I might try rubber band on wrist. I heard that years ago that people use as a reminder about (whatever they need to remember). :-)

Ohhh, I'll have to learn this lesson as well. For me, winning says I'm in top form so I want to keep going! My 'winning streaks' are few and far between unfortunately. I can't imagine you having 'many losses' in a streak!!?!

Stop playing after 3 losses in a row, that's what i do

@Queenchezzz Thank you! That makes sense for games. I might compromise between you and @Fet suggestion of 1 and stop after 2. Puzzles are a bit different. I rarely have two misses in a row - even ONE miss is too much since it deducts 12 to 13 points for a miss but only gains 2-3 points for a win. Harder to determine the 'streak' unless I look at points themselves.

I shouldn't miss ANY puzzle because time is no longer factored into points, as I understand it. If this is incorrect, I hope someone corrects me!

I stop after 2 losses in a row

Ah. Bingo. That sounds like perfect spot ... for games AND for puzzles? Thank you!

Puzzles? Nah I do until I get sick of it (meaning like 10 because I get bored so fast)

Yes, it happens very often. ☺️

Ah. Then here's proof that losing is a valuable tool as well - look at your ratings! AND a coach! So keep on losing, dear friend! Whatever you do is working perfectly!!

I’d say this is a classic chess-tilt pattern. The fix is to set non-negotiable stop rules before you play, because once emotions kick in your judgment is compromised. You don’t stop based on losses or rating swings; the moment you rush moves, miss simple tactics, start guessing in puzzles, or feel the urge to “win it back,” the session is over, even if you’re up rating. Limit yourself to a small, fixed number of games or puzzles per session and accept that improvement comes from ending sessions early while your thinking is still sharp, not from grinding through tilt. For more structured learning, look at our coaching institute, Chess Gaja, and the different kinds of classes we offer.

https://chessgaja.com/one-to-one-classes/

Every single word you said, NAILS ME perfectly! And just in time ... I've been in repeated pattern between 1450-1550 like a yo-yo and the more determined I am to break 1600, the worse I seem to do. I've tried every level (Standard, Hard, Extra Hard AND Random) ... makes no difference.

Yesterday, I puzzled for nine hours straight. How many points did I gain? -14

I've tried all the great advice here but I DO NOT listen (I self-lie and say I'll just make an exception this once and push through). It's never 'just once.' "The fix is to set non-negotiable stop rules before you play..." Okay, I'll hold myself accountable. I haven't been doing that lately (in many areas of my life).

Thank you so much! And thank you also for the great link!!

Wow a gm that's rare

444444444444444444444444444

I really struggle, I often find that I can't see the point in a game, so I resign and move on, but then I get stuck in a streak of games where I can't see the point. It doesn't really matter, ratings don't really matter, but it is a waste of time! I should make some hard rules about when I stop playing because it's becoming frustrating.

A lot of my games, I arrive at a position that looks boring, I can't see anything interesting to do, I'm not objectively behind, but since there are no interesting moves, all I can do is piddle around and hope someone messes up. That's not the sort of chess that fascinates me. Weirdly, it's my drawn games that are often the ones I enjoyed most.

Oh I'm right there with you. And that is the point of excellent advice I've received from @Aspired (above) - set FIRM rules. Of course advice, coaching, training ... all only works if the target/student listens but also DOES as directed.

So did I? Well. Yes. And no.

When I posted my question, I was mid 1400s. I listened to @Aspired and my rating climbed up past 1600 which was my goal! So it worked! But then, I got to thinking ...

@Aspired didn't say 'only one session a day' so why not two a day? Or rest for two hours and then another Session; could get several sessions in that way but still precisely follow the advice!! I have a puzzle addiction, ya see? This (wonderful?) decision of mine to THINK FOR MYSELF allowed me to play 5 sessions in a single day! YAY!

I immediately dropped to 1400 so I decided I had BETTER keep playing to at least get back to where I was when I started to question my thinking in the first place!! I made excuses, promised myself rewards (chocolate) if I got back to 1500 even. Seems I can negotiate and justify and self-lie to always get what I want.

I'm now at 1394.

I don't need to learn chess first ... I need to train ME first.