Does taking a lot of breaks from chess make u play worse?

*title*

This is like asking 'does a lot of beers make u play better' ... just sayin ...

Yes. You need your chess skills sharp like a knife, they dull if you stop playing.

Actually, I hadn't played for nine months right before the tourney where I made master. And Lasker certainly didn't seem to be unduly hampered by his long breaks from the game.

@MrPushwood said in #4:
> Actually, I hadn't played for nine months right before the tourney where I made master. And Lasker certainly didn't seem to be unduly hampered by his long breaks from the game.
I too didn't play for very very long, since 1 or 2 months I would say. My reflexes took over in online chess (I had the habit of always playing d5 after e4, now that I want to play g6 Nf6 Nh5 for some fun, my reflexes forces a Scandi game). It's a chance to renew my repertoire with goofier and sounder stuff (Norvegian, Dutch, Walder-Brodt if I want to, my opponents really want to impose an opening they favor, and I will try to counter that with new stuff I can find).

some times its good to take a break I think it helps I took a break and came back better I think:)

I have had several breaks of 2 or more years from chess. Each time I came back to it, I was rusty and ill-prepared for the prolonged focus required. But I also came back each time with fresh eyes and a thirst to get it right. Each time I worked on the game, made myself stronger in so many aspects of the game. And so, after a few initial poor results, I began playing better chess.

In short, the occasional layoff has actually helped me. Now if I can only get back to playing regularly at a club, maybe enter a tournament or 3, I can get my OTB rating back over 2000. And if I live to be a hundred or more, maybe I can make master.