How do you win a win a won game?

Greetings all, through analysing my own games, I've noticed that I have a tendency to outplay my opponents at the beginning of the middlegame, gain a strong advantage (by this I mean both materially and/or positionally) switch off, and then either draw or lose.In fact it happens more than I care to admit. How can I ironout this weakness? Is there something you say or do that stops you from easing up before you should? Would be interested ot hear other players thoughts on how they've overcome this problem. I should point out that I am referring to over the board, tournament play here. My opponents are usually around the ELO 2000 mark, so though they are not super strong, they are certainly capable of taking advantage of some lose play.

Thanks.

Based on what I've seen in the Hangover 2, I'd say stay away from the marshmellows.

On a more serious note, I've had this happen during OTB play as well. I noticed that I get excited once the position is winning, then nervous. This caused me to lose some games because I either burned too much time and blundered, or because I just blundered. 

I think unless you have a serious endgame weakness (which can be overcome by study) you should probably focus on keeping your emotions in check, staying sharp and methodical up to the very last move.

Do you expect your opponents to alter their style of play when they fall behind? By that I mean take risks and thus change the nature of the position?

It's a cliche but as they say 'there's nothing harder than winning a won game'.

Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I've collected about this subject.

1. When up material, trade pieces not pawns.

2. When you are winning there are many ways to win, but only a few ways to lose. So pay close attention to those "few" ways and ensure they don't occur.

3. When you are ahead in material, king safety is THE most important consideration (similar statement to #2)

4. Never trade into a king and pawn endgame unless you are 100% certain of the result.

5. The reason winning a won game is so hard is because it requires finding the right winning plan over and over (this was told to me verbatim by a master).

I hope this is beneficial to you somehow.

Yes, thanks. I think point 5 applies to me most, I just assume that the game will somehow win itself and that I have already done all the hard work. 

I have had many games OTB where after I run them through my engine say im losing by like -1.00 or even -1.50 and -2.00 (as white/black, minus = against me, just say in whtie in this case). But my opponents don't spot the line but they still hold a huge advantage, but I remember at that time thinking that I could hold it out, as materially it was even. My opponent failed to spot the lines, and at the end gave me an equalizing chance which I took.

Numerous times it has been the other way round. This is what your talking about I suppose; carrying out the win. Its harder than it looks.

What I advise is to somehow find a winning line materially, or look into the endgame.

In what you call some winning positions can even turn out to be a draw! Look at the vote chess game males vs females for a reference; males played the opening "horribly" (if I played that in OTB, I would be proud lol but ofc vote is much stronger), giving white an advantage, but the game can still be slanted towards a draw; white has to play relatively accurately for the win.

So, don't try simplify to an endgame UNCLEARLY if your only a pawn ahead or so. The main thing is to develop a sense for a plan and a winning line; usually if you can't find the win, theres no checkmate threat. So your looking for something else to just WIN. More than ever, its more about positional play and getting your pieces active to boast that material advantage or position advantage over your opponent, so that now your main plan sort of is to restrict his movements and BEGIN SOME SORT OF ATTACK, whether oh pieces or on his king.

This is not always the best idea, so another idea is to PUSH PAWNS. This can be your frontal barrier to attack or to try queening it.

Other than that, its all about practicing and experience; otherwise chess would be dead easy to win!

I know its frustrating to lose in a *clearly* won position (to the engine/computer), but thats chess to humans, and it happens more frequently than you can imagine, and its happened plenty to me. To carry out the win is part of chess and all I can advise is just more practice. To note, those OTB games I was playing and losing around at was in ELO rating about 1700-1800, so it is quite less of the blunders there already.

Of course if your talking like 2000 rating, then in won positions, you really should be able and need to carry out the win. I see your rating is 1736, around where I would expect you to be more "concerned" about this type of thing, as I was. Lower and your like oh well, im not that good. Higher and you CAN carry it out I suppose lol. But this is the misty area between low level play and accurate play, and its the path towards hitting those accurate moves that counts.

I would say more positional than tactical. Just think over the game and do your best; its quite hard to advise anymore than that without a specific game or position if we're talking in general.

It seems the other way round when you're in a winning position and you think you've done all the hard work. and it seems like now the rest is relatively easy like you say, but for me its also quite hard to bring it into a win.

Infact, there are many barriers a chess player can hit, out of my expierence (only about 4 years, im 15 years old).

Losing, ok thats fine ---> winning and drawing---->the one im at, once your at a higher level, players blunder less and so the win is harder to get. Now, its mroe draws, and its harder to find the win, but it seems just as easy to lose as before. you get more cautious, and play less aggressive and possibly better.

Maybe its because you get less aggressive, but thats good if its the better move. I wouldn't reccommend goign for lines which at best play are like bad for you, but if your opponent slips then bang, your on. Thats called risky :D Well you can take that path, but hey your choice, and not many options for that anyway I suppose. Learning the opening theory almost already takes most of the chances of that out.

So if your at this "barrier" of winning, there isn't anything you can do really Im afraid, but its natural, because everyoens play around you gets firmer. so its down to point 5 really, finding the plan. Even if you are +1.00, its annoying to win occasionally. +2.00 and material even is usually easy to exploit weaknesses, but in the 1600-1800 my opponent with +2.00 CHANCES missed them and drew to me at like +1.3 to +1.6 ish to like +0.6 or +0.00 at the endgame draw =P

well basically what im saying is that your not alone, and seeking advice, be wary not to take advice and expect a huge improvement; its more about practice than anything else.

I do assume this is OTB isnt it, I think it happens less over the internet online play as theres much more time and theres the analysis board.

Hi, on my part I think it comes down to an over-reliance on a position being theoritically won and perhaps an overdepedence on material rather than dynamic factors in the game. 

Oh yes, over the board for sure. I should point out that I don't count games where time pressure is a factor, for obvious reasons, as anyone can slip up in that.

You hit upon a good point. I've learned in my experience the moment I have the thought, "This game is won. No problem." A lazy blunder on my part is imminent. Therefore, I never let up until my opponent tips his king over.

There is a COLOSSAL difference between theoretically won, and actually won. A Bishop + Knight vs. Lone King is theoretically won every time, yet there are grandmasters who have failed to pull it off in actual play.

well said !

GM Epishin famously failed to do so about 10 years ago.

Well with 41 years of tournament play I would imagine I have had much experince with this topic!  I would suggest you try and do three things.

1.  Remember chess is played with the mind and not the emotions! Try to stay focused and relaxed at all times, even if that means letting your clock running while you get a drink of water or take a breather away from the board!

2.  Remember that a bad plan is better that no plan at all, and with that I would mention that your opponent has a plan too!

3.  Develop an attitude of patiences ... you will win more games, by simply being more patient than you opponents!

If you decide you want more info please contact me for personal instruction, I would gladly give you your first lesson free!

I can't argue with that

If they have enough time. Svidler famously drew a K+Q v K+R endgame for this reason. 

Page 62 Kotov's Think Like a Grandmaster has some interesting thoughts.

There he claims that a material advantage reduces your sense of danger. He has examples from several world champions to show.

Think he's hit the nail on the head there. 

That is it in part, traditional some chess players have attached too much importance to the idea of "winning material".  I am from the school that believes that ," material is one of five elements that is a vehicle that can help you achieve your goal or objective.  The fabulous five are as follows:

  King Safety   Is my king safe, is my opponents king safe

  Material       What is the count and who is ahead

  Space          Who controls more terrioty and where

  Time           Who has more players off the bench and into the game and what is                     their work ethic worth

  Pawn structure  How strong are they and how fast can they advance and their     work ethic

I think you are being a touch pedantic; the expression 'won game' has a particular meaning in the context of a game that has not concluded. 

And nice touch calling someone an idiot;  you really felt you needed to do that?

Well just to throw some fuel on this, some guy named Jose R Capablanca wrote that you could be ahead in time - space - material and still be dead lost !!