Chess fatigue

Hi guys,

Most of us at some point in our chess game have gotten to a point where maybe at about move 40-60 when we are exhausted, brain drained and missed an important tactical move or forced move combination. How do you handle fatigue during a game? Sometimes the more we continue to ponder a move the more our minds freeze!

Sometimes my mind is starting to get cloudy when I have pondered a critical position for quite some time already, but still can't resolve the situation. Calculating lines is tiring and at some point I feel losing the grip on the variations and things threaten to fall apart. If at all possible, I try to get up for a short walk then. Sometimes this helps to clear the mind. If not, nothing else does.

Bubatz,

That works well when studying games but during a real board game or here on chess.com where timing is critical...(sigh)!

Hi, there!

I think it would help to create a solid base of position patterns, such as for example horse and king putted diagonally with one space in between, where to make a check, player with a horse needs at least 3 movements. So, basically, I think if we learn and then create a solid base of position patterns on the field (which can be, of course, more complex), we will be able to handle it in less time, that means, with less getting tired. Cheers to all and Merry Merry Christmas!

Improving our playing skills will lead to even more complex positions, or better said, for us to see many complexities we previously couldn't. So, time will always be a concern, and (I think) it tends to get worse over time.

I guess improving time usage is related to the way we think, which is part of chess psychology. For example, if it often takes a player 10 minutes to think about 3 possible moves to actually make a fourth one he saw first glance, he'd greatly speed up his game with little effort by spotting those positions where such situation occurs and spending less time on them.

That happened a lot to me. To much time was spent in the opening and I found my moves were usually good (though not the best), so I just cut most of the time spent there.

Also, I found that thinking too much over complex situations does no good, as I'd play the bad moves anyway. Better results appeared once I got more time to mend the damage after those moves!

I get plenty of sleep and excercise at home to prepare for my chess games 97 minutes on my treadmill in my basement, pullups,pushups,situps, work on my total gym, skip rope for 25 minutes,swim at the YMCA an hour a day.

The energy supply helps alot when I'm stressed and tired to keep going.

If you already know you're tired before the game (as we all sometimes are), by all means try playing something very familiar and don't head straight into complications, as you'll be crushed both psychologically and in the game.

Chess is not just calculating the variations, it's a mental contest between two people - with very similar tactical skill (most of the time - since you won't be playing against GMs while you're an amateur nor would you worry about them if you become a GM, lol) - so even though one person is :slightly: better than the other in calculating variations, this is not what is going to decide the game. So, try getting positions where you feel comfortable and where it's easier for you to spot promising moves - and try surprising your opponent and make him do the hard work.

And yeah, get some sleep, go to the gym, have some water by your side... and if you can't find a good move or can't calculate your way to the end of a long variation... try pinpointing what's bothering you - which discoveries, checks, forks... and you'll be able to handle it, especially if the line is really forcing.

Another tip - if you :are: tired during the game and in a complicated position, try by all means to simplify it if you can still end up in a decent, playable position.

Perhaps 98 minutes on the treadmill would give you the extra "oomph".

I only get enjoyment out of my games if I'm feeling rested and a bit aggressive l. Chess is war whether you like it or not. 

And if you're blunder prone, if you're feeling too tired to check your board continuously, you should wait until you're feeling good enough to play. I don't always follow my own advice but then I'm addiction-playing, and I'll lose to an equivalent player. If I'm fresh, I can win about 50% to equivalent rated players. 

Exercise. And like @misterless said, play when you're feeling it. Otherwise it doesn't work.

a bad thing is when your opponent does a bad move, and then you wasted all your thinking!!!!!

or if your a spontaneous player, you are not charged anymore, and it was a waste of time to bother getting there,

And then by the third game,   it was just a waste of time.

coffee & cigarettes

Lol