Cutting Onions #1

Quick Introduction

Hi, I am Onion Baba, yes the one you cut, and today we will be discussing about cutting the losses.
I spent my entire December of 2023, trying to hit 2000 on Lichess Rapid before New Year, I failed.
I have been stagnant for over a year now, I tried everything and precisely that was the problem, had I been disciplined and followed a simpler approach I would have improved, but I didn't.

The Winds Change

New year came with the pleasant (awful) news of Semester Exams, so I had to put an hold to the 2000 rating goal until my exams get over. I thought of playing chess, without chasing goals(strictly) therefore I have turned off my rating display, even If I do hit a 2000 rating points, I wouldn't know and please don't spoil it,
I will play chess for fun.

but you know what, losing is not fun!

I came up with a resolution, to not lose ( if only it was this easy), the idea was simple, I will pay close attention to how I lose, was it because of my mood, was it because I was distracted, was it because I didn't consider my opponents threat, was it because I don't have a disciplined way of thinking, was it because I was low on time, was it because I was low on time and instead of playing fast, I was looking for the perfect move.

I have become ultra-critical of my losses, I don't mind much if I miss a winning move, but go mad if I made a move that made me lose the game, or if I couldn't find a saving move.

The logic was simple, with each defeat I face, I will become harder to defeat. (wannabe Onion Carlsen)

The Sigma Onion Rules

Note: These may seem obvious, but these are the first blunders I encountered after starting this ritual, so don't ignore a blunder just because it is obvious.

I used an insight learnt from GM Avetik, that blitz games highlight your subconscious weaknesses, so I analyzed blitz too, religiously.

see how I gifted a knight, a trojan horse, but useless.

Onion Rule #1 : Don't hang pieces.

practically, before making a move, make sure you are not hanging a piece, now or at the end of the combination. (I am still okay with hanging pieces as a calculation mistake, but hanging pieces on the move, is just crime)

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another knight gifted, I should be sued for animal cruelty

Onion Rule #2 : Think thrice, before you Sacrifice.

Had I just checked the unsound sacrifice I made just once more, I would have seen 23.Nf1, it was an easy move to find as it was virtually forced, but I didn't think, I got so excited by the cool sacrifice I was about to make that I forgot to recheck. If I lost because of making a "cool" sacrifice and gifted a victory to my opponent, without making them work for it, I am more of a fool than cool.

delulu is not the solulu, atleast in chess!

(delulu = delusion, solulu = solution)

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you see the rook is lined up against my Queen? even I immediately saw that
so did I move my Queen? of course I did, right? right!? rightttt???

If only had I moved my Queen, I wouldn't suffer the eventual tactic, that my only 2 neurons aided, by moving away the pieces between my queen and their rook, almost like a romantic movie.

Onion Rule #3: Don't Ignore Lines and Diagonals

you see your queen and the king lined up on an open file and your opponent has a rook, misalign them
you see any of your two pieces on the same line or diagonal that can be attacked, misalign them
you see your opponent's bishop, rook, or queen eyeing your pieces

pull the curtains, misalign them!

make sure you start this practice of documenting the reason for your loses (you can post them or keep it private that's up to you), and follow your rules religiously.

go cut your onions

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I will post a blog in this series, every time I collect three more rules, follow to stay updated.