I Think, Therefore I Blunder
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My problem is, I play my worst moves when I invest the longest time for it. Like in my last game, I thought for a minute or more I guess, and made a very bad move (although opponent left queen hanging on next move, that's not the issue.) The game before that, I thought for a long time (as far as I can remember) and missed a mate in 2 for what I thought (and it was) a rook winning tactic. History is long. I have done it many many crucial times. How can I overcome this? How can I make sure my time investment is proportional to the quality of my move and I play better when I play slower? (That's what it's supposed to be, right?)
Jan 26, 2026
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#2
Me too i played a 15 10 game and i spent all my time on the endgame and still got mediocre accuracy... Still won tho! But it takes time dw
Feb 2, 2026
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#4
Don't worry guys you will learn with experience, you need to think about the right things. Also if you need a free chess lesson you can DM me
the issue isn’t that you think too long, it’s that your thinking becomes unstructured. When you spend a lot of time, you tend to fixate on one idea and stop doing a final blunder check, which is why mates and simple tactics get missed. To fix this, use a strict routine: first scan for checks, captures, and threats for both sides, then calculate only the forcing lines, and before moving, ask “what can my opponent do immediately?” Long variations should be purposeful, not emotional. Slower chess helps only when your time is used systematically, not when you overthink or chase a ‘better’ move. For a more structured learning, look into the various classes we offer at our institute, Chess Gaja. https://chessgaja.com/one-to-one-classes/
Feb 6, 2026
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#6
julkifol wrote:
My problem is, I play my worst moves when I invest the longest time for it. Like in my last game, I thought for a minute or more I guess, and made a very bad move (although opponent left queen hanging on next move, that's not the issue.) The game before that, I thought for a long time (as far as I can remember) and missed a mate in 2 for what I thought (and it was) a rook winning tactic. History is long. I have done it many many crucial times. How can I overcome this? How can I make sure my time investment is proportional to the quality of my move and I play better when I play slower? (That's what it's supposed to be, right?)
same
Feb 6, 2026
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#7
I would say flip the board and think how your opponent would in that position for the move you look at. If they can find how your move is weak, try a different move
Or maybe just don't think too long
"I play my worst moves when I invest the longest time for it. Like in my last game, I thought for a minute or more"
I would say that a minute is very fast, once you are past the first half a dozen moves which are likely well rehearsed anyway. I only play 30/0. If you made me move in one minute in the more complex positions, I would probably blunder every time.