I can't play on a real board

I can play OK online, but as soon as I get on a real board, my playing goes down the tubes. It's like I am playing tennis on a huge wheelchair ramp. Everything is tilted down and strange looking. Obviously, I have very rarely played otb.

I have a tournament this weekend.

Any tips for getting over this? (other than of course playing as much otb as I can before then)

Play standing up so you can view the pieces from a 2d angle 

No but really your best bet is to lay off the online and study as much as you can with a physical board.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/its-easier-to-play-on-the-board-than-off

Looks like I had the same observation 2 years ago.

Except vice verra.

I play SOO Much better OTB than Online, I just cannot see more than 3 moves ahead on a 2D chess board. 

Way harder according the board.

 I have this same problem. Except, I play bad online and on a real board.  

From what I've heard from good players (NM's and such) the best is to just study (Like set up the tactic puzzles on a real board to solve them) chess on a real board. 

I'm a novice at both (1100 or so), but I feel better with a real board (I probably think about moves more maybe)? 

 I find I play a little better OTB because I care more about it when you have an actual person sitting in front of you, in OTB sometimes I just don't give a flying ......

OOOPPPSSS! I meant on-line I don't give a flying ....

 You have good ratings but you don't play slow chess. Maybe that is part of the issue. Unless your are playing in OTB blitz tournaments your mind, besides not being used to a three dimensional board is also not used to "slow thinking."

I know exactly what you are talking about.  Sept. 10 was the day I played my first otb tournament and I had only played online before that. The board seemed massive and trying to calculate 3 plus move lines was a nightmare, as a result I spent most of my time going over moves that seemed elementary.  My solution was to purchase a tournament sized chess board and I spent a few hours calculating 3+ move mates,  This seemed to do the trick for me; if your problem was the same as mine it's just a matter of getting your visualization skills acclimated to a 3d board. 

You are right, I don't play enough slow chess. But when I do play slow chess online, I don't have nearly as much trouble as slow chess OTB.

@Vagabundo18

You are describing precisely what I feel. I will try what you did and hope for the best. Seems like most people have just said to practice tactics and such on a board so that's what I'll be doing until Saturday. 

Thanks for the help!

Member Since: Aug 27, 2017

A combined 1664 online games in that time.  

Yea my advice is to lay off the online chess.

You have played 550 just this month 😆

And still play OTB tournaments :-)