chess trauma
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i joined a tournament… only to end up dead last, scoring a whopping points it really feels like my training is for nothing, and i've become demotivated about chess in general i have also been on a lose streak prior to the tournament, is there a way to become motivated at chess again? that tournament basically makes me want to quit chess, not sure though
Sep 14, 2025
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#2
Just go on, analyse the lost games. It happens to everyone. My first tournaments were tough losses, too, and I ended up last as well. After just going on, doing the puzzles, working on my endgames etc, in 2 years, I gained about 500 rating points and even got prizes in a few tournaments. Learning that losing is okay and it's a part of chess had been a huge part of my chess improvement. Take your time to go through your losses and just plan in your next tournament is the best step in my opinion.
Also, I don't know if you do that already. But I always ask my oponnents after the game: where did you think it went wrong for me? That gives amazing insight and nice discussions about the game. Which makes the loss feel less tough and helps motivate you for the next round.