I'll take a stab at a few, given that I've experienced a few of them myself:
How is it that I can't seem to remember opening-theory?
This usually indicates that you're playing very few slow games in said opening. You tend to retain patterns better when you give yourself time to burn positions into your head (usually happens more when you can afford to take your time per move). Note that this is SLOW OTB where your primary focus is always on the board and cannot be compared to online/correspondence chess.
This may also indicate that you've not been playing all too long ... the more experienced you are in an opening system, the more likely you've have "opening anchors" deep within the opening lines, as opposed to being "out of your book" on move 2 or 3. It's like you're not even "forcing" yourself to remember the lines, you just "know" them out of muscle memory.
How is it that when playing turnbased games, I play a lot better then when I play a game in real life ?
Easy. No nerves/pressure, you can concentrate on the board when you "feel" like it. If you feel your chess brain is "running at peak performance" from 8-12 p.m at night, so be it, that'll be when you probably log on to chess.com . Now you can't always demand that real chess be played when your brain feels it best. :) Also => Access to opening theory and analysis boards. Plus with turn-based games, you are less likely to be psychologically swindled or walk into a trap. Finally, you can grind and analyze really deep into positions in turn-based games. With real games, you have to play the best move in accordance to a time-budget.
How is it that I'm somehow afraid to loose when playing in real life ?
The ego is way less fragile online as opposed to face-to-face situations. Just take a look at the readily available sampling of flame-throwing trolls in the forums who are mighty brave to take potshots at people when they are hiding behind their computer screens.
One's risk-taking tendencies tend to drop in OTB situations (especially tournaments) or fear of ridicule (losing to a 6-year old girl in a OTB game).
Often enough, people pay too much attention to the rating (both theirs and the opponents) and play according to some self-fulfilling prophecy (I will ALWAYS beat him because I'm rated higher or vice versa)
What is the solution to start playing better in real life. To actually remember opening theory and not get blown away by people who seem to know all the details ?
How is it that I can't seem to remember opening-theory?
How is it that when playing turnbased games, I play a lot better then when I play a game in real life ?
How is it that I'm somehow afraid to loose when playing in real life ?
What is the solution to start playing better in real life. To actually remember opening theory and not get blown away by people who seem to know all the details ?