Define "Nerves." Also, can you strengthen your Chess Nerves? How?

There are a lot of words describing skills that are not related to actual chess knowledge - nerves, emotions, psychology etc. To me, that means having a positive attitude and a fighting spirit. Continue to play as long as my opponent has a chance to make mistakes.

I am dong physical endurance exercise once in a while, and for that i need to prepare and take care of my self during the event. I regard chess as intellectual endurance exercise, and that also requires preparations and self care during a long chess battle.  If i get careless with those things, then my performance drops significantly.

I love to play stronger opponents. I see these games as lessons. They will expose my my weaknesses and throw them right at my face. I never lose when i am learning and improving. And when i actually manage to beat a strong opponent i get a great sense of satisfactory. 

I agree.  But nonetheless, I often see lower-rated players dismayed and intimidated at having to play higher-rated players, even though they have nothing to lose (except for the game itself, of course.)

However, let's reverse the situation.  Is it possible to have the (much) higher rated player getting the "nerves" when playing a lower rated player?   Let's say you're a rating-conscious higher rated player.  And you're playing a much lower rated scholastic player who you think is under-rated.  Do you, as a higher-rated player get nervous about this, especially if the lower-rated youth player is playing well?  Have you ever seen this happen?  Where the higher rated player gets the nerves and loses?

Happens to me all the time.  Not usually at the start of the game but if the low rated player plays well and I'm only equal or maybe even a bit worse I get a bit nervous.

Thank you for your honesty which produced a hearty chuckle.  It is what I suspected.  All the more reason for the lower-rated player to not be intimidated or disheartened when playing a (much) higher rated opponent.

(Parent to child):  "You're nervous?  Heck!  He's probably more nervous than you are!  You got nothing to lose, son.  Just play your best.  Just relax."

That's actually the reason I learned a few new openings with black, so I could play them against lower rated players and get more dynamic chances.

I'm normally a French player, and I was playing a kid rated 1000 points below me (700 v 1700) because he didn't have a game in his section and I was the assistant TD for a kids tournament.  He played the French exchange it was totally equal after about 20 moves.  I decided to mix it up with some unsound attacking play and he fell apart pretty quick but it scared me.  I had something similar when I played the QGD against a 1000 rated player and was clearly worse when he played the exchange variation and seemed to know all the theory and ideas.  He flagged in a better position.  Offbeat stuff and initiative is usually the way to go against weaker players.  Rook endings too.

Lol, loved your strategy of going for unsound attacking play.  It's called the higher rated player's swindle!

@knighttour2  Good thing those kids you played were lower rated unless you lost, for according to this rather entertaining article kids aren't such a pushover as in the good ol' days.  I imagine scholastic chess changed that, particularly at shorter time controls.

Bob, that was an exceptionally good article.  Much thanks for pointing it out!

You're quite welcome, Daniel.

Actually the 1000 rated player wasn't a kid and my comment wasn't really about kids versus adults.  My point was that in drawish openings even someone who isn't very good can play common sense moves and be okay against stronger players.

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