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As someone who rarely plays any OTB chess games, I recently decided to go to some USCF tournaments to get some OTB experience. On chess.com, my rating is around 1900-2000 (but was 1800 at the time of the tournaments), but was very dissapointed at my tournament results. I frequently lost to USCF 1200 players, made gross tactical blunders, and had huge strategic oversights. Almost all of my mistakes were obvious during analysis after the game, even without any help from Stockfish.

One good example is from an advanced french position where my opponent played Nb5, threatening Nd6+ (defended by Pe5 and forking my king on e8 and rook on c8). After around two minutes of thought, I decided to play Rc7??, straight up hanging my rook in one move. Fortunately, I managed to save the game with a well-timed simplification into an equal endgame, but that is besides the point. I also noticed that I kept making strange opening choices in blitz games, not playing any of my usual lines, as well as missing obvious refutations to dubious moves from both sides. Not to mention huge tactical oversights and overall lack of calculation ability.

I think the appearance of the board with 3d pieces and perspective is throwing me off, but I'm not really sure how to fix this. I don't usually have any opportunities to play over the board, since there aren't any major chess clubs near where I live, but I was wondering if there are any sorts of practices or books I can do by myself on a physical board, or some other advice from anyone with a similar experience.

And to be clear, playing against other people isn't really an easy option. I've already looked hard for any nearby chess clubs, and all the tournaments I've gone to are several hours away. It seems fair that I should do some practice before driving several hours just to lose miserably at a tournament.

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    Certainly it isn't forbidden to ask for general advice or tips, even if there isn't any specific correct answer to my question. Unless that's exactly what you mean... Commented Feb 3 at 4:32
  • If that's really the case then sorry, I am new here. Commented Feb 3 at 4:33
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    Is there any reason to think that the ratings on chess sites are scaled the same as USCF? Since USCF has been rating for a long time we might as well assume their ratings set the scale. Online sites may well find it advantageous to inflate the ratings above the USCF because people will play on the site that gives them the higher rating. I haven't played for years, so am just speculating. If they consider games you play against their computer, how do they assess times you take a move back? You can't do that over the board, so may not have worked as hard at not dropping pieces. Commented Feb 3 at 5:15
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    Playing significantly worse OTB than online on first tournament is to be expected. I remember one tournament where a 2200 lichess blitz player was losing badly in U1500 fide section. Main problem is usually getting used to time-control - with 90minutes on the clock even 1200 players won't hang pieces most of the time, so it's harder to capitalize on their mistakes. Hard to find a better way to fix that other than playing more longer games. Commented Feb 3 at 6:37
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    This is a judgment-based question not opinion-based Brian. It is valuable, well-thought out and respectful and just because it doesn’t have a simple answer like what is the capital of France is no need for you to reject it. I know that chess, and chess.se are to some extent escapes from an uncertain world, but this is no reason for you to you to reject uncertainty in here. I will change the title because maybe that it triggering you and preventing you from reading the content properly Commented Feb 3 at 10:45

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A similar experience happened to me. I was rated 2150 rapid at lichess. I knew that lichess ratings were inflated compared to USCF ratings, but when I played my first real-life tournament (game in 60 minutes with a 5 second delay), I severely underperformed: I lost to players with ratings of 1200, 1100, and 900, and only beat a person with rating of 500. My first USCF provisional rating turned out to be 873, and I had a similar experience of not seeing obvious things on the board and not playing like my usual self. I wanted to quit right then and there but am glad I didn't. I scored 4/4 in my second tournament and 3.5/4 in my third. I recommend you keep playing if that's your goal, and eventually you'll get used to it and your true strength will start to show.

Here are some things you can do:

  1. Play longer time controls online (30 min or longer).

  2. Play those longer games on a physical board (you don't need a fancy electronic board), you can just look at the screen and transfer the moves to the real board.

  3. Come up with some kind of thinking technique that you stick to in your over-the-board tournament games. For example, your thinking technique should at least include a "blunder check." When you decide what you are going to move, ask yourself whether that piece or any other piece on the board is hanging. Ask yourself this question after every single move until you get used to it. My thinking technique is borrowed from the Dutch Chess Steps training method and includes an orientation phase (where you look at tactical and positional characteristics in the position before thinking of any specific moves), a calculation/evaluation phase, and then a verification phase (did I consider my opponent's strongest replies?). Whatever you do, you need a routine so your mind doesn't wander and so you don't make impulsive moves.

4.Don't underestimate your opponents. Respect their ratings and be patient. If they are rated 1300, they may never drop a piece or even overlook a simple tactic. At long time controls, you win differently than you win at online blitz and rapid. Also, someone may be severely underrated (especially children) and dangerous. I played an unrated player in the first round of my second tournament and barely won the game (I won on time in a worse position). He was a college student that told me afterwards he was rated 2000 in blitz on chess.com. Also, I played a 900-rated player in my first tournament that knew 15 moves of theory in the Sveshnikov Sicilian that I had prepared as Black. It was quite unnerving.

Good luck.

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  • You can make pieces appear 3d on lichess. Commented Oct 9 at 0:13
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The journey of development as a chess player goes through a number of non-linear stages as one endeavours to improve.

A difficulty that did not exist for me when I learned to play many years ago is that adapting from an internet context to a face-to-face one.

I think, like many things in life, it’s just a question of being patient with yourself and keeping going. It’s worth bearing in mind that many others are facing a similar obstacle. Also console yourself that face to face matches matter less than they used to as well. And as you continue to improve online this can make your more resilient to psychological butterflies face-to-face.

You may also consider getting a coach, even an online one. EDIT: There are some who appear in the usual social media, and I would find one who seems competent & sympathetic, and approach them. Even if they aren't physically located near to you, they may be able to recommend someone similarly sympathetic who is closer to you. The world of chess coaches has to be quite small & well-connected, I feel.

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    As for getting an online coach, I have briefly looked into this in the past. I would greatly appreciate any recommendations for what to look for/where to look for a coach. Commented Feb 3 at 20:04
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If you think the physical board is throwing you off, have you considered getting a physical chess computer (a not too expensive one) to practice that part?

As for time-controls, practice the ones you will play OTB online - and I would prioritize tournaments with shorter time-controls to be able to play more games.

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Since there are no chess clubs in your area, have you considered starting one? Also, playing yourself OTB?

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Have you considered getting an electronic board to play your online games with?

Something like the ChessUp 2, on which you can play games on Chess.com or Lichess, but using a physical board. Just the difference in tactility should help OTB chess feel more familiar.

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  • Yes, I was thinking of something like the ChessUp 2, on which you can play the games from Chess.com and Lichess on an actual board with. Hans' answer refers to a separate chess computer, not one that is integrated with the services that the OP is already using. Commented Mar 7 at 18:31

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