Have you ever had this sick feeling when you blunder the game away in a good and sometimes winning position? Usually, you realise the horrifying aspect of your move as your hand leaves the piece. It is a “oh shit” moment that only a chess player can understand. Then you make yourself as small as possible, hoping your opponent will not notice. Unfortunately, they always do and within a few moments, they make you look like you have just walked out of bunny school.
I do not know if the outright blunder is a worse way to lose than getting outplayed from start to finish. At least, with a blunder, you have an excuse and you can always talk about the position you had before you blunder.
Blundering is the art of turning a decent position into a bad memory. Fortunately for the average punter, blunders happen at all levels, including in World Championship games. In the recent candidate tournament we saw none other than Gukesh blunder an easy checkmate against Firouzja. The good news is his blunder did not stop him from winning the event outright.
Engines never blunder. They do not get tired no matter how long they play. They lose games but only through their horizon being breached. So you only need to see half a move further than the engine to beat it. Easier said than done, especially when engines routinely find checkmates in 20 or more moves in endgame positions. Us, mere humans, we are blundering machines. Try playing chess when you have not slept well or when you are not properly caffeinated. It can quickly turn into a disaster.
We are more likely to blunder in a bad position rather than a good one. That is because of the accumulated pressure of getting outplayed. It eventually gets to us and usually just before the time control when everything, including time, conspires to make you look like a bunny.
How can we reduce our blunders?
The first step is to know our openings well, especially the middle game positions that are likely to result from our pet openings. Knowing the opening saves you time on the clock, allowing you plenty of thinking time when the position gets spicy. The second step is to understand the positions just out of the openings. Often, there is a coherent known plan on the board and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Many positions have thematic manoeuvres, pawn breaks, and other devices that can be played quickly if you know the strategy. Playing fast(ish) has the effect of shifting the pressure onto your opponent, who is then more likely to blunder. Playing too fast can lead to you blundering, so you need to find the balance between efficient time management and being a fool.
Training with puzzles is essential. I have done puzzles since 1974, when I bought my first puzzle book. I still have it today and as I have done for decades, when I get to the last puzzle, I restart from the first one. It is an excellent book that is unfortunately no longer available. It contains all the main tactical themes, so going through the puzzles effectively refreshes the mind. Having patterns in mind allows you to see them quickly during games, including blitz games. Nowadays, there are plenty of puzzles online, so it is easy to train your mind in this area.
Finally, working on your emotions can help reduce blunders. Getting flustered during a game is not useful at all. If your opponent makes a good move that you overlooked, stay calm. Take a bit of time to soak it in and then behave professionally by finding the best possible move for the position. Stress can cause cognitive and memory issues so it is not exactly desirable for a chess player. Some players arrive at the board already stressed out of their mind. It rarely ends well for them. I suggest you sort out all relationships and other issues before turning up for a decisive game. In the past, I have played games under stress and my performance was never up to it.
Another underestimated aspect of chess is physical fitness. If you play chess after a brisk walk, you will perform better than if you have been sitting at the board all day wondering what first move your opponent will play.
Finally, enjoy your chess. Be happy to be playing a competitive game. There is nothing worse than turning up for an important game and not really wanting to be there.