I'm not as good OTB as I'm online.

Hey guys,

I've been playing chess for a couple years on this platform but I always played on my screen. While I consider myself a good player when it comes to screen chess or online chess, I'm not as good when I play over the board.  I have serious difficulty focusing and visualizing OTB which I would have no problem If I was playing online. 

How can I bring the performance I have online and apply it on the real board, with a real opponent? 

Sometimes I play well OTB too but most of the time I feel like I'm not playing at my full potential. 

I also have to deal with anxiety issues during a real game (Such as sweating, fear, doubt). I get nervous when I play a real tournament. 

It doesn't happen when I play with someone I know personally, for example, my friends. But it does happen when I'm playing a total stranger because I don't know who he is (even if he sucks at chess).

The anxiety problem also affects my game in many ways and just makes me unable to think straight.

Any one else having same problems? any solutions? 

BUMP!

It is very easy actually, just play OTB (especially tournament rated games) the more often, the better.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do now. I have a board with me even when I'm playing online.

There's a few separate problems there - lack of focus, problems with visualization, anxiety when playing strangers. They are all manageable though.

Concerning anxiety - the standard solution for this in any part of life, not just playing chess, is to constantly do what makes you anxious until your body gets used to it. Try to find a chess club and play as many games as possible - At This Stage It Doesn't Matter If You Lose Every Single One Of Them - your goal is to get used to playing strangers rather than beating them, that's your priority. Once you've got used to doing that, then your chess will improve because you'll have got over that handicap.

I'm suggesting a chess club rather than a tournament because you'll see the same players all the time and will get the opportunity to get used to them. In contrast, playing in tournaments means that you constantly meet an unending procession of total strangers all the time which isn't what you want or need at this stage.

My experience  is just the opposite. My USCF rating is higher than all my online playing ratings, but lower than my tactics rating. Right in the middle which is probably where it belongs. I think it's because playing online is basically meaningless. It makes no difference if I win or lose. But playing over the board or even in a small tournament (which has been a while) seems to have a lot more importance.