Playing well when the position feels uncomfortable

The hardest positions are not always the objectively bad ones. They are the positions where you cannot find a plan and every move feels slightly wrong.

The hardest positions are not always the objectively bad ones. They are the positions where you cannot find a plan and every move feels slightly wrong.

When that happens, I stop looking for the perfect move. I check the immediate threats, improve my worst piece, and try to make one useful decision. That is usually enough to get the game moving again.

Three questions to reset What changed after the last move? Which of my pieces is doing the least? What would my opponent play if I passed?

It also helps to separate the game from the rating attached to it. The position does not know whether you are up twelve points this week. It only asks for the next move.

After the game, save the first position where you felt lost. That moment is often more valuable to review than the final blunder.