Sudden loss of a skill

Hello,

I have never been that good in chess, however, in my recent games I am like terrible. It seems I cannot win a single game unless my opponent makes a huge blunder. I throw away games where I have quite large advantage. Is it just me? Am I getting more stupid? Is there any solution to this?

It's normal. Just relax and keep playing. Concentrate as much as you can during the game, and if you lose, look at the game deeply and try to identify why you lost. Don't forget to enjoy this beautiful game as well.

Take some time off

This keeps happening I gain about 200 ELO I think I am okay and then go back down to almost 100. I am an awful player but at least 400 ELO player lol.

Yes I agree... I feel something is going on with me as well. From almost 1500 to 1100. It's getting hard to maintain a good level these days. Reasons can be so many things. From having a good mindset and of course cheating. Recently I played with a cheater 8 tines haha. His account got closed soon after. Then I thought what if other players cheat only in critical moves during the game. Maybe that would be impossible to detect.

I reckon you need fresh eyes. Play only when you're feeling relaxed and focused otherwise you WILL lose. Also I'm a beginner, have known how to play my whole life bug had played not more than 2 games till last month. The diamond package has been great helps with puzzles and games review. Otherwise I wouldn't be improving. I do hope I keep improving that being said. The style of play of the 500s I've been playing lately is trickier and different and nerves of reaching 400 causing me to play so bad.

+1 for it's normal.

And don't worry, it's not really possible to lose a skill overnight, that actually requires neuron death e.g. because of a neurodegenerative disease or a lot of hard drugs. It's also possible to lose a skill to some degree if you don't use it for decades, but just because the links between the neurons involved have weakened a bit, and with a bit of practice almost all of the skill comes back.

I've fluctuated up to 200 points in a few days before, and these last 2 weeks I've gone up and down the same 100 points 3 different times. I can literally feel myself playing worse, sometimes it's just appalling to where I'm making all one move threats without even thinking about my opponent's next move.

9 times out of 10 it's because I'm tired/unfocused and hadn't realised it. Feeling physically and mentally good can make a crazy amount of difference to how well you play.

Also, my rating in general tends to go up in bursts, dip back down a bit and then stabilise, I think that's just how some people learn- you implement something differently (even if it's unconscious) and get some good results, but it's hard to maintain that focus. So your performance slips for a bit, but soon your brain gets used to working the new way automatically so it isn't as draining any more, so your performance gets consistent again at a higher level than it was before.

So basically, a dip could actually be a sign that you're learning and focusing and it's just tiring your brain out quickly. Play every day, stop for a while when you begin noticeably underperforming, and give it time for the improvements to become clear.

And above all else- be optimistic! There are hundreds of studies showing clear evidence that having a positive outlook makes you learn faster and more easily- a bad day or bad week is just another step forwards on the road to where you're going. Nobody can avoid them in life. The only way it could become a disaster is if you treat it like one!

Thank you for your responses but there must be something else. My cycles keep repeating. I even go down to 300 ELO sometimes (I know that means I might even be mentally challenged). This is slightly fishy. When losing streak starts it seems no matter what I do I will lose.

Can someone help me reviewing my account? This keeps happening. I start losing and I can stop losing. It feels like out of my control...

Heyyyy. I can review your account..wud u like me to check ur games and see what's wrong?

I have checked your last 3 games, all losses.

In the very last game, your opponent took a piece. Instead of taking back, you played a random move and resigned.

In the game before that, you resigned in a position that's slightly worse.

In the game before that, you resigned in a position that's equal.

Why are you doing these things?

My guy, you quoted my reply and said that. I did no such things. Do I look like a piece hanger to you?

I misquoted badly, sorry about that.

I once reached almost 1100 in bullet, but I fell all the way down to 800 and now I’m 900

Look at my stats, they are just sad..

Hey, yes, that would be super nice of you. I would appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

Thank you for noting those. Yes, I sometimes do that but it was out of frustration already. Indeed, taking a break might work.