"How to deal with emotions in chess"

by ChessBase
9/10/2023 – Are chess players ice-cold creatures who always make their decisions at the board out of pure calculation? Of course not, even Magnus Carlsen is not emotionless, says GM Jan Markos in his contribution to the current ChessBase Magazine #215. In fact, very different emotions can influence decision-making in chess - often to one's own disadvantage. Markos presents three examples of this from his own practice and explores the question of how the influence of emotions can be counteracted. You can watch an excerpt from his video contribution here.

ChessBase Magazine 2015 ChessBase Magazine 2015

Norway Chess and Shjarjah Masters 2023: Highlights with analyses by Giri, Erigaisi, Cheparinov, Oparin, Nguyen and others, videos by Rogozenco, "Special" on Hikaru Nakamura, opening videos by Sokolov, King and Ris, 11 repertoire articles and much more.

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"How to deal with emotions in chess"

Jan Markos continues his series "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player"

"No chess player, not even a GM, not even Magnus Carlsen îs absolutely emotionless. We all have emotions. So what we can do with that?"

Chess is about making decisions based on reasoning and calculations. But every chess player knows that decision-making in practice is often far less rational than one would like. Emotions such as fear, arrogance, frustration and many more can exert a massive influence. In his video contribution in CBM #215, Jan Markos first illustrates this finding with three of his own games and elaborates on the emotions that led him to make irrational decisions.

Excerpt from Jan Markos' video in ChessBase Magazine #215

Total playing time of the video in CBM #215: 19:16 minutes

He then explores the question of how to deal with these different emotions and mental states that can arise in a course of a game. Essentially, it's about controlling your own emotions as much as possible. But how do you do that in concrete terms? Jan Markos gives you a practical guide for the situation at the board and also reveals a simple and rather amazing technique that has proven itself repeatedly in his own games!

You can find the complete video cibtribution by Jan Markos as well as a small collection of exercises in the new ChessBase Magazine #215! 

 Order now in the ChessBase Shop  – Single issue € 21.90!

ChessBase Magazine trial subscription with 33% savings advantage and thank you bonus!*

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Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for the special price of only € 44.90 € (instead of € 65,70 for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge. 

*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!

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Save twice with ChessBase Magazine: For the annual subscription to ChessBase Magazine you’ll pay only € 109.90 per year (compared to € 131.40 for the 6 individual issues).

* Bonus only for new subscribers, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months! As a new subscriber you will receive the original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB

Highlights of ChessBase Magazine #215

From Hikaru Nakamura's last-minute win in Stavanger to new repertoire ideas for the Caro-Kann, Sicilian or Nimzo-Indian to Part 5 of Karsten Mueller’s video series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge":

Over 7 hours of video playing time with Ivan Sokolov, Daniel King, Jan Markos, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and many more! World-class chess explained in video: Dorian Rogozenco shows two wins of Hikaru Nakamura from Norway Chess 2023, including the decisive last-round game against Fabiano Caruana – Sharjah Masters 2023: Analyses by tournament winner Arjun Erigaisi as well as Ivan Cheparinov, Grigoriy Oparin, Thai Dai Van Ngyuen and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan – “Special” on Hikaru Nakamura: exclusive collection of 19 encounters with detailed commentary from 2007 to 2023 – Action in the centre: Christian Braun's Anti-Sicilian recipe 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5!? - "Nakamura's strategy in practice": Mihail Marin sheds light on the US American's skills, incl. two interactive videos and a large collection of exercises – Rossolimo á la Carlsen: Daniel King recommends the cutting-edge 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!? for Black. - "Basic Knowledge" Part #5: Karsten Mueller reveals tips and tricks in the endgame with two pawns against one. incl. two interactive training videos and much more!

Top games and master analyses

Norway Chess 2023: With a win in the final round against Fabiano Caruana, who was leading until then, Hikaru Nakamura won the tournament n Stavanger. Analyses by Anish Giri, Michal Krasenkow and Igor Stohl. Dorian Rogozenco shows two of Nakaumura’s wins in video.

Sharjah Masters 2023: Arjun Erigaisi took undivided first place with 6.5 out of 9, followed by seven players with 6 out of 9. The tournament winner comments on two of his best games. Plus analyses from Grigoriy Oparin, Ivan Cheparinov, Thai Dai Van Nguyen and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan.

Special: Hikaru Nakamura

CBM authors (Lubomir Ftacnik, Imre Hera, Igor Stohl, Viktor Moskalenko, Renato Quintiliano and many more) comment on their favourite games of "H-Bomb" - an exclusive collection of 19 encounters from the period 2007 to 2023.

"All in One"

Alvar Alonso Rosell presents an active concept for Black against the Catalan, with which one can put one's stamp on the game early on - and that by a transition to the Dutch!

Opening videos

Ivan Sokolov examines the highly topical variation 11.h4!? in the Semi-Tarrasch, especially Giri's novelty 13.Rh3 against Praggnanandhaa from the Chessable Masters. Robert Ris uses three new games by Richard Rapport to examine what White can hope for in the Vienna Game with 5.Qf3. And Daniel King gives a recommendation for the sideline 3...e5 against the Sicilian Rossolimo Variation - which has already been tested at the highest level!

Ivan Sokolov: Semi-Tarrasch
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0–0 11.h4!?

Robert Ris: Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3

Daniel King: Rossolimo Variation
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5

New ideas for your repertoire

From the Alekhine Defence to the Huebner Variation in the Nimzo-Indian - ChessBase Magazine #215 offers 11 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire!

Grigorians: Alekhine Defence 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
Postny: Caro-Kann Fantasy Variation 3.f3 Qb6
Braun: Sicilian 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5
Quintiliano: Najdorf Poisoned Pawn Variation II
Papp: French Winawer 5.Bd2 (Part II)
Ris: Two Knights Defence 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 d5!?
Szabo: Vienna Game 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4
Hera: Petroff 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4
Kuzmin: Slav Defence 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4
Schandorff: Tarrasch Defence with 5.e3 and 7.g3
Edouard: Nimzo Indian 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3

Topical opening traps

"With engine help in Kasparov's footsteps" – Rainer Knaak presents eight traps from tournament practice - from the Caro-Kann to the King's Indian. You can see three of them demonstrated in the video!

"Move by Move"

The 2023 World Women's Championship between defending champion Ju Wenjun and her challenger Lei Tingjie was decided in the last round. Play through the final game together with Robert Ris!

"Modern Classics"

Dorian Rogozenco presents the sixth game of the 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in Reykjavik - a "very impressive game, especially the way Fischer outplayed his opponent!"

Practical tips for the tournament player - "How to deal with emotions in chess"

In a game of chess, very different emotions can influence decision-making to one's disadvantage. How can this be prevented? Jan Markos gives you a concrete guide and reveals which practical trick has often helped him himself!

"Nakamura‘s strategy in practice"

Strategy expert Mihail Marin sheds light on the skills of the US American, who is known and feared above all as a very concrete player. Incl. two interactive videos and a large collection of exercises!

"Corner queens"

37 games peppered with many training questions await you in Oliver Reeh's tactics contribution! Solve his four favourite combinations move by move together with the IM from Hamburg in the interactive video format with feedback function!

Endgame series "Basic knowledge" - Part 5: Two pawns against one pawn

In the introductory video, our expert presents the most important techniques. Then it's your turn in two interactive training videos! In addition, Dr Karsten Mueller provides a contribution with endgame highlights by Hikaru Nakamura (video introduction + analyses).

 Order now in the ChessBase Shop  – Single issue € 21.90!

ChessBase Magazine trial subscription with 33% savings advantage and thank you bonus!*

Try out ChessBase Magazine now! Order the ChessBase Magazine taster package!
Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for the special price of only € 44.90 € (instead of € 65,70 for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge. 

*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!

ChessBase Magazine one year subscription - plus original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB *

Save twice with ChessBase Magazine: For the annual subscription to ChessBase Magazine you’ll pay only € 109.90 per year (compared to € 131.40 for the 6 individual issues).

* Bonus only for new subscribers, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months! As a new subscriber you will receive the original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB


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