What psychological trick do you use when playing OTB?

It is against the rules, so it was good you stopped him and it may have been a misunderstanding of the rules or it could have been an attempt.

That is illegal to look at any reference material during a game. Even your own games. What I was saying was the player said he just laid it there (didn't open it) so the opponent could clearly see the title of it.

In the park, hustlers castle into the open file (Re1, Kf1), they put you in check and don't say, grab the king on the next move and claim win.  Once I looked down and dude's got nine pawns on the board.  They blow spoke atchyou, talk smack of course, put pieces on two squares to later say (nah, man, that was here), and how do you correct crazy-eye sitting across from you in urine soaked sweatpants.  They knock over pieces in critical moments, then replace them advantageously, they threaten you physically (rubbing their belly where the weapon is), give you 4 minutes to 5 on manual clocks (oh my bad, I didn't see that), move knights from white square to white squares, I've seen two black bishops, a King on the "i8 or e0 square," touch move retractions, greasy pieces, slamming pieces, slamming clocks, knocking captured pieces off into the fountain, help from friends, confederates hovering behind you and over your shoulder breathing down your neck.  It's a real trip. 

I must try it!

It be a low IQ thing man, you wouldn't understand.

cosmicharmonic - Um, it sounds like playing in the park isn't worth it.

I played somebody once who did the thing where they put me in check, didn't say anything, then captured the king on the next move and claimed it was a win. This was back when I was 15 at most and I don't think he knew that much about chess, then again neither did I, but I understood the concepts of check and checkmate so I was a little upset.

A team effort psych out:

This story probably isnt true, but it should be.

A GM agreed to visit a small club for a [edit :BLINDFOLD] simul against the top 10 players.

On the first move, he played e4 on some boards, d4 on some others and maybe even a c4 or Nf3.

He was quite surprised when everybody responded 1 ... b6

After his 2nd move, about half played Ba6, and the other half  played Bb7.

After the 3rd move, some who played Ba6 now played Bb7, Yhe others played Bc8. Some of th 1 .. Bb7 players played Ba6, and the rest Bc8.

After 4 moves of shuffling bishops around, the poor GM was seeing bishops everywhere.

The story goes he excused himself to go to the toilet. When he didnt return and went looking for him, all they found was an open window.

Aww ^_^ How sweet ^_^ That's how you know a girl is worth a second date ^_^

I don't use any psychological tricks, well not intentionally though adjusting pieces so they're squarely centered may annoy some.  Still, I find pieces near the edge of squares annoying so I center them to make calculation and evaluation smoother (for both of us). 

I imagine their is much risk of physical violence in OTB chess.

On the fifteenth floor.

If you're losing and there's not much that you can do just pretend you're bored-fiddle with something, pretend to be staring at something, tap your foot or hand, hum, or mutter incomprehensible things under your breath.

Or you could play good moves!!

+1

Actually saying check isn't a requirement. That's an old rule that isn't used anymore. Also in casual blitz if you are in check and ignore it you forfeit. It's really important that you notice checks.

I am not sure if there is a rulebook for "casual blitz" but both the FIDE and USCF rulebook say otherwise. If you make in illegal move while you are in check, you do not forfeit. You must make a legal move.

I don't do this but I know opponents arriving late can mess with my mind as mentioned here... http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/arriving-late-otb-psyche-tactic

Woahh, Anna...

I was happy when they introduced zero tolerance for being late.

nothing worse than having to wait 1 hour or even longer. it is like detention.

In official games the clock is stopped and the player gets a time penalty. Doing this in casual games takes forever and messes up the rotation so the game just ends. I'm not sure if you have to call it but if people are waiting it's probably best that you do.

Bent Larsen mentioned in a book that you could offer a draw in a equal position. if the opponent refused the draw the opponent may play careless because he thinks he can always take the draw later. the draw offer may be the pillow that the opponent falls asleep on.

I have seen it my self, I offered a draw in a tournament, my opponent refused and made a blunder, and said to me "now I take the draw". As if a draw offer can be used later...