My confidence is real bad for chess, what should i do?

Question

im a good chess player, rated about 2300-2400 not in real life, but compared to the best computers. i know im good, but i only really played computers. im only 18 right now, people say im young. i get scared when it comes to being in tournaments, since my first thought is more about the loss then the win. i cant really handle the disappointment well, since i would think that every effort i put in chess was a waste of time is i lose, and i would think i suck at chess. how can i handle dissapointment since ive never been in a tournament?

Answer 1

As a 16 year old chess tournament winner (on several occasions, mind you), I suffered the same problem when I was younger.


If you want any real chance at a tournament, you have to start playing people in exhibition matches, and you need to lose (unless you can help it =P ). At first you will be disappointed, but trust me, and take my word on this, the loser of the match learns MUCH more than the winner, and it will only make you more comfortable with the loss.

For every match I've lost, I've won 10 more due to the learning experiences I received from those matches lost.


Hope I helped,

~Chris

Answer 2

I'm a terrible chess player but have competed at elite level in other fields. That feeling never goes away but it does get smaller.
Fail, learn, improve, succeed. From walking to talking you have already done it. Dont think about the result. Concentrate on the process.
You will fail and you will loose. We all do on the way to the top and on the way back down.
"To participate is to live, not to is true failure."

When you enter an ultramarathon the hardest part is filling in the entry form. You are making a commitment to yourself, a decision to feel pain, work hard, sweat, bleed, loose weight, etc.... and it is great. Only by meeting challenges will you understand how strong you really are.

So get up and do it.

Answer 3

I've been playing since I was 5 with my twin brother. I have lost to him a lot. It helped when we played "outside the family" to lose.

I used to think I was a good player. Once I thought I had invented the greatest defense ever, so I took it to my chess coach. He said let's play.

After about 20 moves he was killing me. I said, "You never let me set it up!"
He replied, "Then it's not a very good defense, is it?"

I learned you have to play faster AND smarter. That loss set up hundreds of wins later.

Answer 4

How about you play against other.I mean real person.Try to play a lot of match and this can build up your confidence.There's a winner and loser in a match and it always be.You can't win lways but just practise a lot and try to be the greatest.Good luck.