Psychology rules for getting better at chess and life

lifehacker.co.in
We often use chess as a metaphor for life, business, and other competitive sports, because it’s such a strategic game. Coder and chess player Gautam Narula offers us two simple rules that sum up the psychology of chess and, by extension, winning in other areas.

Narula says: "If chess is anything, it is a game of second chances. Chess, like life, rewards perseverance. I’ve turned countless losses into draws and wins because my opponents got overconfident while I dug in. I’ve also turned wins into losses because I was too intimidated by my opponent’s rating or reputation."

Chess psychology can be distilled to two simple rules: Don’t ever be afraid of your opponent; fight as hard as you can until the game is over.

Following these rules will add hundreds of points to your rating. There’s a footnote to the second rule: If the situation is absolutely hopeless, it’s good etiquette to resign rather than drag the game on needlessly.

However, he adds this rule of thumb: "I f my opponent were playing [reigning World Chess Champion and number one player in the world] Magnus Carlsen in this position, would Carlsen be able to win?" If the answer is yes, keep playing. If it is no, then resign. The post is a great resource for anyone interested in chess, but the psychology part applies to us all.