OTB - Taking it easy on lower rated players?

Gotta play more games! Can't let yourself forget the useless stuff now! You've been remembering them your whole life!!!

Now, by cracky, You have got My Dander Up!  You whippersnappers could stand to learn a few Lessons from your Elders, and you Would, If you had anywhere Near the sense the good lord gave you!   ... and don't think I don't Know how you youngsters Are!  You just think you know Everything! .. why, when I was a girl I coulda whupped your "you-know-what" all Over a Chessboard! --- if I'd a'had a mind to ....... and not only That! ... but .......... well, just ..........Get Off My Lawn! ...... golderned kids ..... 

This is a serious problem for me.
I really tend to get overconfident easily when playing lower-rated players.
There seems to be a mechanism in me that tries to make games close.

So I stop blunder-checking and looking for "a better move".

I just experienced the difference. Played two people around 1000 and was quite sloppy in both games. Losing one and being temporarily behind in the other (luckily the guy then heavily blundered). Then I had an opponent rated 1224. I think I played a much better game against him. I got a pawn-advantage and that carried into the endgame.

LOL - no offense taken. I truly understand about tow women not talking for two hours. 

Speaking as a lower rated player, I would say play your best. It gives me experience and a challenge. However, it would be encouraging after the game to get pointers so as not to make the same mistakes twice.

What a reasonable, well-thought-out, even-handed, useful contribution to the discussion.  I do agree that it would be a sign of good sportsmanship and respect and general goodwill to offer pointers after a game.  

My only cautionary addition:  Beware of offering unsolicited advice ---  Some people may just want to Forget about the Whole Horrible Experience, rather than choosing to "learn from it."  

(For those of you who haven't guessed it yet:  I Am one of "those" people .... and, no, I'm not Proud of it, but .... well, there you have it ....  ..... !) 

Do you consider yourself to be a competitive person?

ep asked:  "Do you consider yourself to be a competitive person?"

Why, thanks for asking!  It depends on the situation, really --- the arena, the field of play, the "pursuit," if you will.  There Are a Few areas in which I Have noticed myself exhibiting a certain degree of "competiveness" -- circumstances in which I seem to strive more than usual to demonstrate my skills, my expertise, my prowess, my competence, my adroitness, and, even sometimes, if you'll permit me to say so, an almost stunning degree of Virtuosity!

An example?  Well, as it happens, I believe I'm quite "Gifted" in the use of an "Online Thesaurus."   (... just an example, of course ..) 

lol :)

You're not a woman, are you?  ...

wafflemaster wrote:   lol :)

Thanks, wafflemaster! !

This comment wouldn't make sense to me (a male) if I hadn't read something about coaching.  Apparently women work harder and improve faster when encouraged.  Good job!  is motivation.

Men are something of an opposite.  "Good job" and they might just get lazy.  But tell them they're the sorriest piece of crap you've ever had the displeasure of thrashing over the board, and they'll be motivated.

With that information it looks like you are now able to coach every human being!

lol, +1.

Yes!  All that's left are the details... the millions of details

!!

i dont play much weaker players but if conditions imposes on me,i will show no mercy and i hate if a much stronger player shows mercy towards me.chess is brutal but ofcourse in a friendly or unrated game if i know winning doesent matter and can have a bad effect on my opponent(for example he is a kid and if i win badly,it will discourage him to play and improve)i will be nice.

i taught my niece to play chess and after a couple of months of learning and improving she invited me to play chess.

 when the game was almost over i realized that i had played with no mercy and i was doing my best playing with a 7 year old novice and i believe it somewhat discouraged her to continue playing.chess was just a means for her to spend time with me and have fun but i had played with full intensity and was brutal.i was angry with my behavior and felt guilty and pathetic.i had to feel superior by beating a kid who wanted to spend time with her uncle.

Imagine letting an lower rated win because he hangs a piece once and you assume he is bad. later on he doesn't hang a piece in the rest of the tournament and wins and draws enough to win the tournament. is that fair to the other contesters.

I never got the impression that the OP was talking about tournaments.