this may sound strange to some but i have a tendency to play quickly (and screw up) when my opponent does even during slow games, should i sit on my hands until i am sure of my move, if anyone out there has had this bad habit can they tell me the cure
thanks very much
faron

well i used to have that problem and kinda still do. if your reasons for moving fast are the same as mine then try to relax and really take in whats going on in the game and look at the whole board and do stuff like think what was the idea behind your opponent move and how does this move help further my plan? did the opponents move mess up my plan or affect it in anyway? stuff like that should help you slow down i know it helped me and i started playing a little better or at least started seeing the board better and whats going on

My method is to write down my move, then blunder check, then play the move. By getting in the habit of doing this one every move, I'm in the habit of slowing down and blunder checking. I even do this when I play slow games on the internet, where I don't have to keep score by writing down the moves because the computer does that for me. But by writing the moves down, I'm reminding myself to blunder check, so I still do it.

--Fromper

Unfortunately, at some tournaments I visit, you're not allowed to do that...

I switched to flipping my pencil upside down, I then 'write' with the back so the move will be a visible, but not in actual writing. At any rate, writing it down seems to help to take a look from a distance.
With internet games, with most interfaces/servers I know you're allowed to touch pieces without moving them. In which case I just grab the piece, move it, but don't drop it.

On an odd note, very often my first candidate move is my best. In which case slowing down will cause me to doubt between my first and the alternative(s)... <_<

Probably the best way to avoid moving without thinking is, well, think before you move. Moving without thinking is a bad habit that can be broken. First, after your opponent moves, do a visual scan of ranks, files and diagonals so you can see where all the pieces are and so you won’t be fixated on just one sector of the board. Look for your opponent’s threat. Look for any threats you have. If you don’t see any threats then look at 2 or 3 possible moves…moves that accomplish something or if nothing else, improve the position of one of your pieces. Select your move, then do another board scan to make sure you aren’t dropping a piece or overlooking a mate or something. Then move. Doing this every move takes a little time, will assure that you’re at least taking a look at the whole board and putting some thought into the game. With practice it’ll become habit.

Perseus: You have a point in that the first candidate move is often best! Reading the long out of print Thought and Choice in Chess I noticed a curious thing. Positions were given to average players through GM’s and their thoughts were recorded. GM’s looked at fewer moves than average players. Probably because they can get to the heart of the matter quicker. Average players looked at many more moves and carried their analysis further, often confusing themselves in the process. But here was the curious thing: Very often in the first 2-3 moves average players looked was a move the GM’s at least considered. Average players more often than not rejected it and moved on. I figured I’d try just looking at the first 2-3 moves that occurred to me and only analyzing a very few moves ahead. I reckoned it’s better to evaluate the position correctly after 3-4 moves than try to go many more and evaluate it wrong. I think my rating jumped 200 pts. because of it.

That interesting Jackson, though it doesn't surprise me.

I did a test about my 'chess ability' once. I was given a position, then got time to analyze, and put in 5 candidate moves in (my) order of significance. This to test whether in the position I saw the idea, the order in which I ranked the moves (1 through 5) giving information on the likeliness of me playing it.
Throughout the test, I felt it was a pretty darn tough test. Difficult positions, strategic concepts (some of which eluded me entirely), tactical rough-and-tumble positions... what's worse, during the test I had (most of the time) no idea whether the 'strongest' move was based on some flashy combination or a subtle nuance.
I believe the time I took in each position was measured as well.

When I'd finished it, I felt like being a kid again taking a biology test, sincerely hoping my result would be higher than 5.4/10...
Then I got the result. According to the test, I would probably end up one or two steps/ranks below master, if I would bother putting my life on hold for it for a while (which I'm certainly not ).

If I'm allowed to paraphrase Sun-Tzu:
"The victorious chessplayer only looks one move ahead, the best move."

Nothing like a career and family to mess up one’s development as a chessplayer!

I have the same problem, best ways to deal with it are:

Sit on your hands while playing over the internet. At tournaments / OTB games- use a drink. After you make a move, pick up the drink so your hands are occupide. When you're sure of your move, take a sip- put it down, make your move, pick it up.

Set up a "Decison making prosses". For example: after each move ask yourself "What is his treat? What are all the reasons for that move? Is there a check, capture or threat I need to be aware of? Is this my best move"?

Try ever other possible move (no matter how stupid or illogical) until you've run out of ideas except for the one you were going to make.

I think everyone has this problem to start with. It is so easy to just play the first move you see.

I find what helps me is to go down a check list in my head. Something like this.

1. What's the immediate threats?
2. How's the king's safety
3. Are my pawns creating weaknesses?
4. What are my immediate attacks?
5. What do I need to remove to advance my pieces?


By forcing myself to go through the steps it helps me slow down and actually think. If I don't answer something on my check list I don't move. Even if I have a plan formed I still hold off on moving until I am sure that I didn't make an error in the calculations.