Hello!
I have been having this problem for about a month. I am not able to concentrate properly and work on chess as I used to. I feel like I don't want to work on chess anymore. I have a fide rating of 2200+ and am pretty young [ <16]. I have the time to work on chess but simply cannot concentrate properly. I am really low on confidence and not sure how to overcome this problem. Any help would be really appreciated.
P.S: I was a former- PRO Member and loved your work. Thank you for all the work that you have done!
Hi MR N
Coach wrote a blog on bad results, I have applied the same approach when my confidence/ study dedication is low.
https://chessmood.com/blog/5-crucial-steps-to-stop-bad-results-in-chess
Hope this helps
Thank you for your replies!
It's not really like, I don't like Chess. I love playing it online (given that I don't lose repeatedly!;) but just don't feel like analysing my games, working on my openings etc. I have been taking sort-of a break for the past month and do not want to take a break again. Another major problem for me right now is that my confidence is too low. I think maybe I feel like chess is too tough for me???. I am going to play some online blitz tournaments soon and hope to regain my confidence. Now I think, maybe I should have phrased my question in a better way - What to do when you are really low on confidence? Another reason impacting me is maybe that I didn't do well in the last OTB tournaments that I played (Before Covid, of course!).
if this is because you don't feel like doing studies or playing when you all relax and you're not exhausted, it might be cause your brain's probably disturbed. Listen. If you're feeling kind of not playing at that moment. just take a break. i know it sounds kind of not that much.... but look there are basically some reasons why this is happening. -
1) you are exhausted.
if you're exhausted. just do so as I told you. take a break.
2) your concentration is diverted
sometimes it happens with me too. i am not able to focus on studies and my concentration is not built strong and I am diverted. look. first of all. your concentration is diverted cause probably there's a lot of things there to distract you. what I do is when I analyze chess. i clean up all the clutter at my table and keep my table all clean with nothing but the chess board and the stockfish engine which I practice with. just that. clutter is probably doing it, if your concentration is diverted. if not. try meditating. that will help a lot in increasing your concentration even your brain powers.
3) you're not feeling like playing anymore
is that cause you lost your interest in chess after being a 2200+ player? aRe yOu KiDdInG mE? still, even if you do and you wanna continue just watch chess matches of gm's and bro if you lost your interest. i can do nothing in that. :) can I?
A lot will depend on what triggered your loss in confidence before anyone can help you restore it. Ultimately it will be up to you though.
Some reasons for loss in confidence include:
1. Losing often to peers or players you used to beat
2. Losing to lower rated players
3. Making inexplicable blunders
4. Distractions and/ or a general lack of focus
5. A debilitating fear of losing
6. Poor Opening Prep
7. Fill in the blank
Waiting for you to fill in the blank.
