How can I focus on my chess?

I have a deep problem, I cant really focus when I play chess.

I mean.. All moves I usually make, I make based from intuition. At the start, basic moves, played in split seconds, but in the middlegame, I just usually make a move what looks good and thats that. Little that I know of that it is a blunder which I see almost instantly after I made that move, I mean really, right after I let go of the piece, even if I have hovered that piece there and its just stupid.

Moments when I start thinking are usually in bad (usually lost) positions or when I need to find mate.

I've noticed that my rapid is really blitz. I think I have potential but its somewhere hidden in this adhd mentality. I tried some 2+0 bullet on chess.com once and crushed that shit, its this intuition based chess, too bored to think or something else.

Anyone else been in same position, I would like to hear!
Sorry for possibly mixed post, I am a bit drunk.

"I have a deep problem, I cant really focus when I play chess. "
"Sorry for possibly mixed post, I am a bit drunk."

May be a good idea not to be drunk ?

Well I am not allways drunk.

I see that your tactics trainer rating is about the same as your other ratings. Maybe it's worth to do some more, you do have unlimited time after all. Break the 10K barrier ;)

I was in your shoes, and I still think I am. But I was determined to increase my ability to focus.

So I started analyzing. Mostly the tactics trainer. I drew arrows, checked lines I found interesting. Every correctly solved problem gave me a rush. And so I did some more. I got to 1800. Plateaued. 2000. Plateaued. And so on. But I noticed that I spent more and more time during each puzzle. Now (2400 tactics) I can sit for about 20 minutes straight looking into a single position, calculating lines. Which means that I now can focus for much longer periods of time. But I had to start somewhere, right? So why don't start where you can have as much time as you want? I can promise you that you will keep more pieces this way. And soon enough you will be able to improve your speed again due to a better pattern recognition.

Also, do you exercise? It may be worth working out once in a while, since physical exercise has been shown to result in better focus.

Good luck!

This is a great post @shiaxou !

I wanted to talk about tactics, but I forgot. There are moments where I break 1900 almost eezy, but it is still on intuition and mood related! I can drop to 1600 easy too when I am "not in the mood" (not able to focus) just blunder away not thinking when playing tactics. Not seeing the right move in seconds make me think: "Theres nothing I can do here, damnit, bs puzzle" and then ouu I can trap a piece after pressing solving button.

But you'r probably right. SHould focus more in puzzles. Its just this "must have now" mentality that I have to overcome.

"Also, do you exercise? It may be worth working out once in a while, since physical exercise has been shown to result in better focus."

Oh geez, where is the time. All these studies and part time job and damn responsibilities there. Some people prob say that what am I even whining, because some students are struggling to find job at their field and are most likely right! but.. yeah.. tidii.. Also these relatíonship issues, at one point I thought I understand women great, and now I just think I'd probably beat Caruana/carlsen team sooner thatn that.

Whadda long whiny post. But why not, Allways nice to cry a bit publicly.

Interesting post. Although your ability to focus and your tactics rating are actually related. Most chess “focus” is completely unconscious. That’s what your training. Tactics tactics tactics. GMs can be drunk, talking about sports and looking at a girl and calculate 10x deeper then you wth a single glance. Why? Who knows but they all are tactics masters.

Before you move: "If i was my opp, what would i answer?"

always the same problems with puzzles. You know there is a solution and a combination/variation behind the position.
I remark that some puzzles here occured during rapid games and that the solution was probably found within few minutes, not after 20 mn of hard thinking.

May be it would be interesting training with easy puzzles for a pattern recognition, growing more difficult, and testing every week on lichess with 10-20 puzzles to evaluate your rating

try music. try zen things like:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDm_Tt6C2wA&t=3810s