Use these eight psychological tricks to win your chess games.

 1. Look bored when it is your opponent's turn to move. 

EVERYONE seems to use this now. Essentially when it is your opponent's turn to move, looked bored and disinterested, anxious to see whatever rubbish they come up with. This will rush them into a response- after all, the game is already decided. Have a look around at the other games, ideally with a look of contempt on your face. In fact have a look at anything apart from your own game, after all it is all so easy for you, you know everything, in comparison to your witless opponent.

2. Stand by the board. 

Magnus Carlsen the master psychologist, started this craze. Stand by the board when it is your opponent's move, as if you are doing a simul. You will look even bigger in their mind, and your close proximity will no doubt irritate your opponent and force them into an error.

3. Turn up late for the games. 

Another Magnus favourite. Admittedly he is rather lazy, so turning up late isn't always planned. However there is no question that turning up late for the games can unsettle the opponent, especially if they fear you. As your clock turns down, all they can think about is whether or not the chess player they fear most of all, will turn up at all. When you do turn up say 15 minutes late, they will most likely just be a puddle at the board.

4. Do a lot of posing as the round begins, and take your time to adjust your pieces at the start of the game. 

This will give out the impression, "I am the boss. This game is under my control." The opponent will begin to respect you, begin to fear you. Make all of your movements measured and slow. Never give the impression of being rushed. 

5. If you have a strong and unexpected idea planned, play it instantly in reply to your opponent's move. 

This will reinforce the psychological effect and they will start to doubt themselves. Do you see more than they do?

6. If your opponent plays a strong idea on the other hand, try to reply instantly. 

This was old Russian advice. The theory is to mess with your opponent's mind and to not give the impression that you have overlooked anything. The chess equivalent of gaslighting.

7. If you win the game, storm off and refuse any feeble requests for post-mortems. 

In fact don't even reply. Your opponent may be horrified by your rudeness, but it will pay off in the long-run. They will feel suitably pathetic, and you are far more likely to beat them again if you happen to meet in the future. 

8. If you play a strong move, shoot them a little stare. This will reinforce the impact.

You could on the other hand, just take the Bobby Fischer advice of "I don't believe in psychology, I believe in playing the best moves." But that would be far less fun... 



                                    Faustino Oro is already a master of the contemptuous stare. 

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