Evidence that Blitz is Bad

Blitz ruins your chess. The typical above average player (percentile 85-97) on this site commits tactical and strategic blunders in every game. There is no search for truth, but rather a matching of error with error until one player blunders big time.

This game (one of my quick wins yesterday) is typical.

I thought you advocated a few blitz games a day Ziryab

With those back and forth errors/inaccuracies it seems like you were both trying to get the other to blink first... at least that's how I think of it, and pre moves (or hover moves so to speak) dominate.

I've found it really helps speed playing strength to not fall into those rhythms.  Always take a few seconds to look at their move, even in games as fast as 2/0, and in general don't let your opponent's pace effect yours.  Sometimes, especially in a series, you can use a change of pace to throw them off (but only if they respond to your altering the pace).

I'm a blitz junkie. 

My chess coach (A GM) says that for lower levels (Under 1600 USCF) a few blitz games a day is good for patterns recognition, after they have done chess puzzles. However too many blitz games a day is still bad.

@richie_and_oprah

I respectfully disagree with you. I believe the strong chess players in the world are all good and blitz because of their pattern recognition and knowledge of what strategies they need to use in certain positions. Almost no players even get to 2600 solely playing blitz, and only GM Hikaru Nakamura has gotten to the very top playing a few blitz games a year.

So Ziryab, I agree and disagree with you :-)

Dare-Dare, I agree and disagree with myself.

IM John Donaldson gets asked this question every other year on the eve of the Collyer. He repeats the advice of another IM friend: no more than five games, analyze them afterwards.

I do this in-between binges.

lol!

I can relate.  I'm glad to hear you're only human too

I was thinking wow, he only playes 5 a day?  What admirable discipline.

I made a New Year's resolution to limit blitz to five per day a few years ago. I failed once with six, and then a binge began in mid-April. I realized the futility of my quest for self-discipline in this matter.