What about rage?

As in the movie Happy Gilmore, go to a "happy place".

(Advice is 1st mini paragraph, self experience is 2nd mini paragraph)

There is no solution. Rage is just something that cannot be avoided from time to time. Best thing to do is close the lichess browser and get off of the electronics before you calm down.

I used to have a lot of raging moments, especially when I played blitz on the chess.*** server. I was at 2730 one day, and fell all the way down to 2650. For me, when raging happens, it is a big problem. I can't stop because my brain thinks stopping is a way of backing down like a coward. I don't know why. I personally don't care how many points I lose during the tilt, cause I know that if my rating is real, then I will get them back easily. (Which I did, I am back to 2710, so all is good)

i switched to blitz... games are literally like jelly beans... get demolished or humiliate some guy,,,.. another 5m game is right there, like another jelly bean... course, sometimes when a series of dumb moves or what nots, and horrible shocks happen... i can start screaming and raging... i try to stop at this point, and that's the advice i'd give. basically i had to switch to a less combustible form of chess (blitz, which don't matter as much) from classical (rage can slowly build up, like a wonderful stew, stewing, boiling, then POW ---- blows its stack and don't go away no time soon, since its been stewing and boiling and simmering) and definitely not bullet (too much adrenaline, and rage is instantaneous and frightening).

for awhile i tried puzzles and correspondence... may return to them... but classical.......... nope. probably not.

I still rage a lot

i find casual and habitual abuse of prescription narcotics , and alcohol help a lot... but you gotta find what works for you...

I think that you need the want and intent to handle yourself but you also need to know what to do with your emotions. You handle rage (and any other emotions but especially the provocative ones) by being mature and healthy, as a person. There's no shortcuts, it's part of growing up. Good luck and in your chess!

i like alekhine's response to rage (i assume he was angry....) : to resign, hurl the king at the nearest wall. did he go crazy later in life, maybe a la bobby fischer?

Hi morphyms1817!

Many helpful suggestions have been given which are good ways of dealing with rage (ah, except for the post about using drugs and alcohol). You may want to ask yourself: (1) what causes the rage and (2) is it justified? Most people would likely say in answer to the second question that rage isn’t justified, since chess is a game and meant to be fun. Many people see anger as right only as a response to an injustice or cruelty. Unchecked rage can lead to hasty and foolish actions (hurtful comments, kicking the dog, e.g.). But you probably agree that rage isn’t called for, and that’s what caused you to post the question.

So, what causes the rage? Personally, I get angry when I want something to an unhealthy degree and don’t get it. For example, if I’m driving to a meeting and the highway’s turned into a parking lot, that gets my blood boiling. I get angry because I don’t get my way! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be prompt to a meeting, but it’s unreasonable to expect everything to go according to my plan. Examining our heart helps to uncover unhealthy or even sinful attitudes we may have. I sometimes still get angry when I blunder – it’s a journey.

On a side note, you’ve shown exemplary humility here – you ask questions and are open to advice. (I, on the other hand, prefer to hide in a hole and nurse my wounds.)

@morphyms1817

A good old fashioned German trick is to drink beer while playing chess! I do it all the time....feels good and makes the chess even better!!

@JunkerGeorge Out of all the posts that is by far the best one i've read.