Chess Anxiety?

I experience a fair amount of anxiety before playing chess, especially in OTB rated games in tournaments. Sometimes it gets pretty bad. Does anyone else deal with this? Does anyone have any tips for overcoming it? Thanks. ... SHF

https://youtu.be/oWf_v_sSPuw

@SHF70_3 I just finished watching the video posted by Toscani. You might want to check it out. If you DO check it out, keep an open mind and remember that this is not a cure-all. It makes a lot of sense to me, but it's possible it won't work for everyone. I hope the video helps you.

Mark

@Toscani Thank you for posting the video. I have found it to be very helpful.

Practice online and pretend you are playing a real person (which you are - you just can't see them).
Then when you see your opponent in real life, you will feel less pressure. Just play like how you do online!

@SHF70_3 said ^

I experience a fair amount of anxiety before playing chess, especially in OTB rated games in tournaments. Sometimes it gets pretty bad. Does anyone else deal with this? Does anyone have any tips for overcoming it? Thanks. ... SHF

Set your mind to your performance, not the outcome. Disregard the outcome before it happens.

If you like to read, this guy is great for chess mindset and learning from generally

@datajunkie

Anxiety is normal, but it diminishes as you play more.
Important is to think about the board only, not about the opponent, about the possible outcome, or about what your friends will say...

I wanna get 1200 Elo, maybe after 1200 Elo I experience anxiety

@woodfantasy said ^

Yeah, tournament chess can make every move feel like a test. One thing that helped me was separating the game from the review: during the game I just focus on the next position, and after it I look at one or two moments where I started rushing. Trying to play perfectly from move one usually makes it worse.

I’m involved with ChessMinds, so I’m biased, but I like using it after games for that kind ...

Thanks ... How do I check out ChessMinds?

Don’t let peer pressure affect you. Be your own person. If you lose all your games, you lose all your games. It’s not like school, where you’re expected to progress through the grades at the same pace as your peers.

If you want to move forward in life, you have to learn how to manage your anxiety rather than letting it dictate your choices. Fear can make you hesitate, while anxiety can cloud your judgment. Don’t let influencers or other people’s expectations override your own better judgment.

When you play, stay calm and think clearly. That can make the difference between making a move and remaining stuck because of the voices and doubts in your head. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

It’s nice to please others, but remember that the tournament is for your enjoyment, not theirs. It’s your goal, not theirs. You’re the one who gets to decide how much you want to challenge yourself and what you want to get out of the experience.

If someone else paid for the tournament, I can understand why you might feel some pressure to perform or please them. But even then, your worth isn’t determined by your results. Go, play your best, learn from the experience, and give yourself permission to enjoy the game.