Since I know we're not talking about playing speed chess, and since I'm pretty
sure that most of the games you're talking about, Jim, are online with a
third-party TK, I will offer some thoughts.
Speaking as one who has lost numerous games on time, especially in my earlier
years of tournament play, I can offer a couple ideas. One is to loudly,
enthusiastically, stringently echo and support Evan's statement about having a
plan at the start of the game. Some people call it studying openings. I call it
having an idea of the order of moves you would like to play if your opponent
cooperates. But it also includes the idea of learning to consider your strategy
in terms of the next several moves. Often during a game, it is possible to make
some observations of how you would like your pieces to be arranged over the
next few moves. Once you have that idea, you can then consider what your
opponent might do to interfere with your plans. As you consider that, you can
make some observations of how you might alter your move order to achieve your
desired end if possible.
Now, all this takes time. And time is the very thing that is giving you, and
me, trouble. There is one very simple thing you can train yourself to do,
though, to alleviate some of the stress that is affecting your analysis.
Remember this: the timekeeper, if doing his or her job properly, will give you
your time checks at the appropriate times. Most of our tourhnaments are played
30/60, 30 moves in 60 minutes. You should receive your first time check when
the first player has reached 40 minutes remaining. The timekeeper will also
tell you what move you are on. Thirty moves in 60 minutes means you should
Average, Emphasis on average, two minutes per move. If you have made your tenth
move by the first time check, you are right on track. In most cases, if you
have indeed made a plan at the start of the game as to what move sequence you
would like to play, then odds are that you will have made more than ten moves
by the first time check. You will then get your next time check when the first
player reaches 20 minutes remaining. It is especially important to note what
move you're on at this point. You should feel a bit of adrenaline rush when you
hear that you only have 20 minutes left. But hold that 20 minutes against how
many moves you have left to play. If you've reached move 20 or beyond, you're
in great shape because you have more than the two-minute average with which you
started the game. And you will still get additional time checks at the
ten-minute-remaining mark, again at 5 minutes to go, and yet again at 2 minutes
to go. If you hit 2 minutes to go, and you still have four moves to make, yes,
you need to pay strict attention and move quickly. But if you're paying
attention to the board and not fretting about the clock, you might find a way
to repeat a move just to burn up the move. Even masters have been known to do
that on occasion. Bottom line, Train yourself to trust your timekeeper, and you
can then begin to tell yourself, when you feel yourself beginning to stress
over time, you can tell yourself to relax and concentrate on the board. And
when I say "Tell yourself," I mean exactly that. I find that I don't have to do
it nearly as often as I used to, but, every now and again, I have to tell
myself, "Thoune, pay attention to the --- board and quit worrying about how
long you're taking. It does work. At least, it has worked for me. I don't get
into time trouble nearly as often as I used to. Part of it is definitely to do
with knowing before I make my first move what course I will follow if given the
chance. But part of it is also a direct result of the words that I say to
myself.
I realize that we can all ignore ourselves just as effectively as we can ignore
others. But it has allegedly been proven that what we practice inside our heads
has the very same effect on our brains as physically doing the thing. I wish I
could give the source of that allegation, but I can tell you that I came across
the wisdom as part of my Toastmasters training, and I have found through
personal experience that is has indeed worked according to the claim for me. So
tell yourself, in the same tone that you might tell your kid or your dog to
knock off whatever it is they're doing, to knock off worrying about time. And
try to avoid arguing with yourself! (Smile)
One other thing. On those occasions that you do lose a game on time, and you
will on occasion lose a game on time if you care more about playing well than
you do about playing fast, then take a good look at the position. You ought to
do that anyway. But take a good look and see if you were making good moves as
far as you got. If you feel that you were, then take some comfort in the
knowledge that you were doing good analysis, and that with time and practice
you'll be able to do that level of analysis faster. For me, if I have to lose a
game, I'd much rather lose on time making good moves then I would to lose with
plenty of time left on my clock and a scoresheet full of moves that look like
... well, you know what I mean.
Oh, and one other last thing, I don't know if it affects you the way it does
me, but I know for sure that when I have a lot of things on mind, non-chess
things, household issues, other deadlines, the fact that my yard needs mowing,
all those non-chess things that just get in the way, I know going into the game
that these things are going to interfere with my ability to concentrate. And
the best thing I can do for myself is find a way to try to clear my mind and
forget about everything else as I prepare to make my first move. It usually
helps!
All the best,
Jim T
-----Original Message-----
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Evan Reese
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2018 1:23 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: OTB Tips Wanted
Hi Jim,
Unfortunately, I don't have a lot to offer. One thing I do that helps me is to
try to remember that my opponent's time is also my time, in the sense that I
can use his time to think as well as my own time.
It also helps to come up with a general plan which can speed up individual
moves because you've already got a basic strategy in mind.
Of course, you may have to alter the plan as a result of your opponent's moves,
but a general strategy may still be able to survive possible variations that
may be necessary if he does something you didn't anticipate.
Sorry I can't help more. I'm sure you'll get much better advice from stronger
players with more OTB experience.
Evan
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2018 1:25 PM
To: USBCA
Subject: [usbca_chess] OTB Tips Wanted
Hi All,
I have been playing chess very badly lately in timed games. I'm getting anxious
about time and not looking carefully. Do you have any tips?
Thanks.
Jim
--
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Jim Homme
http://www.jimhommewebdev.com
Twitter: @jimhomme
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