I’m terrible in online chess although I have improved over where I started, and having only ever played a few OTB games, <20 games, due to ‘The Virus’, I’m sure my rating will now be a minus one when OTB returns. In just those few games I found there’s a big difference in PC and OTB because of spatial awareness, or lack of. This may affect a lot of lower ranked or new players, initially at least. JMO.
@JeremyPixel Blitz has best correlation to OTB but it is still weak. But first thing to pop into my mind: Did you use all the time available while playing? That is big challenge for quite for some in transfer online to real chess. I know a person who constantly ends up more time in his clock at the end of the game than in start of the game. Which leads him being several hundreds of Elo-points stronger than than in real chess.
Other than that some people have visualisation problems on real board. But if managed to play somewhere 1800 level that is unlikely problem.
Third thing is amount games. OTB ratings take longer time period to settle as the number of games is low
People are much more motivated when playing OTB than online. First of all, just the fact of physical presence of your opponents makes you try harder and not embarass yourself. Other than that, people that come to OTB tournaments often need to take a great effort to be able to come: spend money on travel and hotel, take days off from they jobs and families, etc. And after all that, you can bet they will give 110% over the board, and really do their best.
Besides, playing OTB is much different than playing short time controls online. The style of play is completely different. Online it's more about tricks and short-term achievements. In OTB games tricks just don't work, and you have to think in terms of long-term positional achievements, and you can't get that skill by playing blitz or rapid online.
Of course, if you are not used to calculate over the 3D board, this makes difference as well.
My advice is to play more classical games, maybe join lichess4545 league or lonewolf, and then play the games on a real physical board. Use your phone just to read and enter moves, but do all calculation and decision-making over the physical board. This is the closest you can get to the OTB tournament conditions.
You lost because OTB players play real chess and lichess chess is a joke
simple as that
Possible explanations (and most probably a combination of them):
1. Online Blitz is not Classical OTB. You learned to get quicker to the essence of a position but that doesn't mean your chess skills as a whole kept up with this increase in Blitz strength.
2. Visualizing things on a 2D board on your computer screen is easier. Or you are more accustomed to it after 1.5 years of OTB absence.
3. Your opponents played a lot online too and grew stronger just like you.
@JeremyPixel I noticed the same problem with my games. I played in a U1000 tournament and barely escaped with my life for a few reasons, one of which was the very slow time control (45+5 I think). I notice that you are really good at Rapid/Blitz because you can see things very fast. But when you play longer time controls, they can/will see the same things that you almost immediately see, but they will take awhile. So, here a few things that may help.
1.) Play slower time controls. This will get you into the habit of calculating deeper. Since you see things very quickly, try to calculate deeper than you opponent.
2.) Learn from your mistakes. This is the one everyone says, but only because it's true! If you realize that you're playing too fast, slow down and try to calculate.
3.) Try not to get stressed when playing OTB. It's all well when you're playing against an anonymous opponent on a lifeless screen, but in OTB, you play someone who you can see, feel, and get intimidated by.
4.) Learn from your poor (in your opinion) tournament results. This is what really helped me. You must learn not to go in to a tournament thinking that you are the best there. Instead, go to the tournament with a healthy mindset of, "I'm may lose, but I'll try!" Overcoming the ego that a high lichess rating gives you is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS that you need to do if you want success.
These helped me tie for first in the next OTB tournament that I played, especially tip number 4.
Final note: Lichess ratings are freakishly inflated unless you are around 2500-2600. Then, it becomes only mildly inflated (-100 rating Difference, I think).
All the best, RJ
@NickUK1969 said in #14:
> You lost because OTB players play real chess and lichess chess is a joke
> simple as that
I disagree.
1. Lichess games are good for practicing without riding 30-60km to play few games.
2. Maybe Lichess rating is not very objective(some people do not play online seriously), but it shows your growth. For example if you scored 1/9 at OTB with 1600 rating, it would be wise to wait with the next tournament until you get at least 1850.
@The_Fire_Of_Chess
ok stick with your London system and Stafford gambit
online ratings do not matter , almost none plays online seriously
@NickUK1969 said in #18:
> @The_Fire_Of_Chess
> ok stick with your London system and Stafford gambit
Well I play Italian and French, so your comment makes no sense
This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.