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#9: The Ultimate Guide to Defending Lost Positions in Chess

Very helpful thank you. One thing-I found it interesting that you said at the end that you write losing positions off as a loss, because doesn't that make you lose confidence? @datajunkie

Very helpful thank you. One thing-I found it interesting that you said at the end that you write losing positions off as a loss, because doesn't that make you lose confidence? @datajunkie

@ebk1976 said in #2:

Very helpful thank you. One thing-I found it interesting that you said at the end that you write losing positions off as a loss, because doesn't that make you lose confidence? @datajunkie

You're welcome @ebk1976.
Perhaps it's a weird quirk of mine, but when I mentally acknowledge that the position is lost, that if the opponent plays the best from here, there might not be much I can do, it helps me to calm down and look at the position afresh. When I'm denying that it's so bad, I tend to lack objectivity.
Once you know it's objectively lost, it's a sign that you should go into 'swindle mode', of thinking of how to play so you can pose the most practical problems—after all, now you really have nothing to lose, and there's nothing to be scared of more than losing the game. It might take some games though, for you to be able to reconcile the acknowledgement of being lost with a kind of motivation to enjoy the game on hard-mode, setting the opponent problems as the examiner.

@ebk1976 said in #2: > Very helpful thank you. One thing-I found it interesting that you said at the end that you write losing positions off as a loss, because doesn't that make you lose confidence? @datajunkie You're welcome @ebk1976. Perhaps it's a weird quirk of mine, but when I mentally acknowledge that the position is lost, that if the opponent plays the best from here, there might not be much I can do, it helps me to calm down and look at the position afresh. When I'm denying that it's so bad, I tend to lack objectivity. Once you know it's objectively lost, it's a sign that you should go into 'swindle mode', of thinking of how to play so you can pose the most practical problems—after all, now you really have nothing to lose, and there's nothing to be scared of more than losing the game. It might take some games though, for you to be able to reconcile the acknowledgement of being lost with a kind of motivation to enjoy the game on hard-mode, setting the opponent problems as the examiner.

@datajunkie Thank you that is helpful. You and Avetik Grigoryan caused this draw for me:

https://lichess.org/KDgEXL2Yapl5

I didn't resign!! Thanks to both of you, I was thinking after I lost the queen "I've lost this but I'm going to make it as hard as I can for opponent." (I didn't know why that was a good idea, but I was trusting your IM-ness) Thanks!

@datajunkie Thank you that is helpful. You and Avetik Grigoryan caused this draw for me: https://lichess.org/KDgEXL2Yapl5 I didn't resign!! Thanks to both of you, I was thinking after I lost the queen "I've lost this but I'm going to make it as hard as I can for opponent." (I didn't know why that was a good idea, but I was trusting your IM-ness) Thanks!

@ebk1976 said in #4:

@datajunkie Thank you that is helpful. You and Avetik Grigoryan caused this draw for me: lichess.org/KDgEXL2Yapl5
I didn't resign!! Thanks to both of you, I was thinking after I lost the queen "I've lost this but I'm going to make it as hard as I can for opponent." (I didn't know why that was a good idea, but I was trusting your IM-ness) Thanks!

Of course, it's much easier to swindle in blitz as you can pressure them with time and they're not going to be as accurate. But glad we could help you fight on more :-)

@ebk1976 said in #4: > @datajunkie Thank you that is helpful. You and Avetik Grigoryan caused this draw for me: lichess.org/KDgEXL2Yapl5 > I didn't resign!! Thanks to both of you, I was thinking after I lost the queen "I've lost this but I'm going to make it as hard as I can for opponent." (I didn't know why that was a good idea, but I was trusting your IM-ness) Thanks! Of course, it's much easier to swindle in blitz as you can pressure them with time and they're not going to be as accurate. But glad we could help you fight on more :-)