Life Events Affect Your Chess Game?

Do life events and personal issues affect your chess performance?

My girlfriend recently had a miscarriage and I’ve been using blitz to deflect the pain or distract myself…..even though my game has plummeted.

Very different from your circumstances, but we got a puppy last May and I didn't have time or mental energy for chess games. I switched to just doing puzzles. I'm not sure I would have won a game if I had continued playing.

Yes, what is going on in life impacts my chess performance, too. Playing chess has also been a way to escape painful emotions like grief and loss. It's a distraction from dealing with uncomfortable feelings, and you're not alone in using that method to cope.
You've experienced a significant loss. I hope your family and friends are being supportive through this difficult time in your life.

Yes. Life events impact our chess because our chess performance is in decent part influenced by our mood and mental/emotional state. If you begin a game feeling good, then you have an advantage over someone beginning the game not feeling as good. This is basically the core to why tilt negatively impacts chess players, but positive things (like flowstate, or motivation) can also boost your performance.

Also, sorry to hear about the miscarriage.

@Chuck639

Me and my girl just suffered through a miscarriage a couple months ago. I'm almost certain it has affected my performance in chess. All that together with the financial stress I'm under, it hasn't been good for my chess. I have zero motivation after my most recent tilt from 1600 to 1470. Just seems pointless right now.

I think about that miscarriage every day though. That one has affected me in a way I didn't expect. My girl has handled it with far more grace than I. I'm still dealing with it.

Sending you good vibes, bud. I hope things improve for you soon. 🙏

Thanks.

I appreciate the personal touch and responses.

Yes, it does have a huge effect. I play very good if am mentally fit. You should have no problems during OTB tournaments if you are serious about winning. If for fun, go ahead, just play.

Yes. Once (on another site) I just lost all my daily games on time when my wife died. I just didn't care. And here I still only play daily with vacation alloving for busy at work etc.

They do for me as well, although my issues are more physical, they are very personal. I suffer from spinal stenosis in my old age. I have moments where I am in pain, non stop, excrutiating, debilitating pain. These episodes last for days on end, it affects my other passions as well such as my bicycle riding which I have not been able to do for half a year now as well. I have cut down my games, but my performance is just not where it should be.

I try not to play rated games if I'm not in the right frame of mind, do puzzles or play anonymously, no pressure. Just entertainment, might help take your mind off a painful event temporarily, better bet than booze or drugs for sure.

Thanks guys.

My game definitely plummeted but my board vision and patience is starting to come back. Hopefully deepen calculations skills and accurate positional play will follow this year.

That and my fiancée bounced back healthy fairly quickly.