Chess Dilemma: How Do You Recover from a Blunder?

Study the blunder after the game ends and learn by memory the right move line suggested by engine. Do it for 20 minutes at least after every blunder and you will do it no more but you will make another blunder if you move fast and lightheaded!!

If you make a blunder in your opening prep sure, but I imagine most blunders are made outside of opening, in the middle or endgame. In such cases it's useless to memorize the right move, instead you want to understand the idea or pattern you missed. 20 minutes is also excessive. A quick minute or so review, maybe followed by some relevant puzzles if its a pattern you frequently miss, is usually sufficient.

Got a story for you.

I was playing in a rated over-the-board tournament in Ottawa, Canada. Classical time control, 40 moves in two hours. In the last round I was facing the tournament leader, half a point behind him. So I needed a win... a draw would win the tournament for him. I was Black.

He had a reputation for "playing safe" and keeping the draw always in hand... something I had to avoid, since I needed a win. So I played a provocative opening, creating a weakness in my position and inviting him to attack it.

Then I blundered. At the worst possible time, since I had deliberately invited an attack.

My reaction, once I realized that I had blundered? I simply sat there staring at the board for about 20 minutes, recovering from my shock and bringing my nerves back under control.

During that 20 minutes or so, it dawned on me that my blunder wasn't entirely negative... that the move also had its positive sides. After recovering my composure, I started pushing hard on the positive aspects of the move... and instead of losing the game, I won it.

Here is the game:

blue always has something good in the back pocket

I identify what my opponent "wants" from the current position, then strive to create as much of the opposite result as possible.

If they want more mobility and open avenues - I'll try to close the position if possible.

If they want to simplify to rush to a clean ending, I'll avoid exchanges and try to keep the board complicated.

And so on, and so forth ... figure out the opponent's ideal outcome, then try to throw the biggest wrench you can into those gears.

It's very clear cut, in fact his move gets the most material possible- a rook and pawn. anywhere else the queen goes it will be hit by the rook with discovered check, losing the queen for just a rook at best.

Not sure where in Ottawa the tournament was held... downtown, certainly, but I'm not sure where. It was about 40 years ago.

when they start attacking run your king up the board

Like this?

A Heroic Defense in the Sicilian Najdorf - Kids, don't try this at home! - Chess Forums - Chess.com

Talking about blunders and dilemmas, one very big dilemma I always face is when I make a mistake, but my opponent doesn't notice it. In such a case, I have two options, continue on my attack assuming my opponent will not notice it again, or I can retreat my piece and waste two moves. I've been faced with this multiple times, and results have gone either way.

Play on like nothing happened