I will never forget this. Ever. I doubt anyone could. · Road to GM, Game 343

[@prabhatkiranmukherje]

It's not pleasant feedback, but with some hesitation, I genuinely advice you to think a bit deeper about the objective nature of chess. This is the 5th time in 5 games, I've heard you say you took sub-optimal decisions because you were playing against lower rated opponents and didn't want to draw. Over a few videos, this comes down to not exchanging pieces out of fear that simplification brings a draw closer or taking dubious lines when it becomes clear that the alternative is accepting a draw vs lower rated. I know that rating does matter and it's a visible marker of progress. However it is just counter-productive to play sub-optimally and give away more points by giving opportunities to players who even if weaker than you, are still good at chess. I'm basically the same rating as you and at this level giving people advantages is simply too risky. To make this worse, as a public figure who plays many opponents repeatedly in a small country, this tendency won't go unnoticed. You're a positional player anyway, so quiet positions are naturally going to happen, and it's a boon as a lower rated player to know that as long as I don't give easy opportunities, my opponent might self-destruct any minute. Why not look over some games and see how many points these decisions gain you when they work, and how often they end up costing you rating because of losses.

[@MrMontag73cat]

Great piece pf advice!

[@kak2ze]

Really setting an example of courage and humility, Stepan! We all have bad moments, it's owning up to them that makes a difference - thanks for being such a great sport about it! 😊

[@tiedup14]

He's not setting a good example at all IMO. There's really no excuse to be a bad sport as an adult (over 30!!!). Apologizing after the fact is a bare minimum, but at a certain point as an adult you need to learn how to behave.

[@Spiethstar]

Having let go of the shame and anger is the real win, it's beyond chess. Evaluating that process can make you learn how to prevent falling for it in the future. I'm proud of you, although I don't know if you reach your goal but you are an inspiration for many. Being a good sport under emotional pressure is incredibly difficult.

[@etcetc5592]

This games are the most instructive ones just because of that, you'll never forget it. Keep this amazing content coming, we've all gone throught this

[@strahinjarad8587]

Because of you im 1850 elo,one bad game doesnt mean you are bad!!! Dont give up,everyone is with you!!!

[@Hummabubba]

Chess is a brutal game. I think I speak for all of us when I say none of us would mock you for such a game. We've all thrown winning games. I will never forget my worst loss over the board. It broke me. I was playing an opponent 500 points higher than me in a sharp Sicilian. However, I was reviewing a similar line before the game (most likely from one of your opening videos) and put him in an uncomfortable position. I wound up with a significant time and a positional advantage. While both of those advantages slipped slightly at times, I was able to mobilize my pieces with a devastating attack on his king and had a forced mate, which I calculated in the game. I had about 10 minutes on the clock and he had about 10 seconds. He hopelessly pushed a pawn into my position, which I didn't bother taking because I didn't want to open any lines. This, however, led to me being the one getting checkmated. I went from the happiest I had ever been playing chess (after all, I was about to beat an opponent I had no right to) to absolutely crushed. The feeling that washed over me was unlike any other. I had no excuses. I had all the time in the world to calculate such a simple move, but I didn't bother because I was too excited about a win thay I still had to get. He told me after the game that the pawn move wasn't even intended to be any sort of trick or trap; he just played it because he didn't know what else to do. I will never reach your level of skill, but I hope hearing a similar story can bring some level of comfort.

[@bruckeundkeinzweck]

Losing a bad classical game is truly a feeling like no other, I've personally had losses so bad they filled me with self-loathing and shame for days on end, consider quitting chess forever etc. It's so hard to remember that one game is nothing, because in the moment it feels like everything.

[@vitalylomov4124]

Very educational game. I get the deer-in-the-headlights feel with rook vs. several pawns, even when winning. I understand the pain.

[@SEAKPhotog]

Thanks for sharing your painful losses. The rook and pawn endgame analysis was very interesting/educational.

[@siddharththakkar2523]

Wow! Thank you Stjepan! I know how you've personally helped me overcome my own "I can't believe I played so badly" moment. To see how you are able to find courage to bounce back just adds to my admiration for you. Here's to many more victories!

[@snaker_574]

Stepan, don't be hard on yourself my dude. If it makes you feel better, I also thought of the same moves you made over the board during the pause the video moments. I haven't played in chess in awhile, but your videos taught me that painful moments have a lesson to them. In addition, they show it can even happen to the best of us.

[@mcronrn]

Brutal stuff! Thx for sharing such a painful loss. 🙏🙏🙏

[@peter_castle]

I think you being honest and open about the tremendous mental and physical struggle of being a chess player helps others to find companionship in hardship. By the way, to me this game seems really well played on most points by you.

[@ryanzdral8895]

I’m happy you got this video over with and recorded, reliving the past like this (especially if it’s super painful) can be hard. In reality I don’t schadenfreude at you, what i do might be more akin to sharing in your feelings of inadequacy. I am a similar strength to you and I make silly mistakes like these all. The. Time. And it is so hard. I appreciate you sharing this video! I feel that if anything, it means you are strong.

[@paulmichaud7565]

Thanks for sharing this game. The emotional parts to chess are sometimes as important as endgames, openings and all the rest of it. Anything that makes you less able to win the next game must be addressed dispassionately, including battle scars.

[@Sergio-sd8fh]

Hi Stjepan, as always thank you for the video. You are one of my major inspirations in life for your passion and mentality. Keep up the great work man 💪🏼

[@edr1028]

Hi Stjepan, im a much weaker player than you but I feel like we have similar weaknesses in this game which my previous coach also pointed out to me. To practice my King hunts. And to finish strong. Good luck out there!

[@auguststar]

Good luck in future tournaments Stepan

[@prabhatkiranmukherje]

I was waiting for this game. Seeing it on the Broadcast, this was one of the craziest games I've seen. I wouldn't have felt okay about losing this, but in the end Mudrinic was the stronger fighter. Games like this are why I love chess.

[@larryblum516]

Thank you for sharing this painful experience

[@Chesswalk570]

Hii sir you are one of the best content creators in chess better then Gotham chess. Love your channel 🥰.

[@JaredGammel]

Great video. Thanks for making that.

[@TJ700]

Does anyone else think he's making way to big a deal over this? Who of us has not lost a theoretically won game? Even GM's do it. Kramnik's blundering mate in 1 against deep junior comes to mind. And I remember seeing a game where even tactical wizard Mikhail Tal over-looked a mate in 2 while on the attack. All you have to do is blind spot one branch, and it could be all over. In this specific case, one lesson stands out: Always thoroughly calculate any checks in a position like that.

[@constantinbandinelli1939]

I see courage, humility and real chess in this video, always good content here❤️

[@KeepChessSimple]

Happens to the best. Brave and honest to share it!

[@drdularekhan6772]

Video series idea Italian game sidelines( rosenter gambit,Nakhmanson gambit Paris defense, Rousseau gambit,luchinni gambit,lolli attack etc), spanish game sidelines (bird defence,cozio defence,schlieman defence, open ruy lopez etc )

[@sAviOr11312]

you are being way too harsh on yourself. i am 2500 online, was 2100 otb when i played as a kid. Those wins early were far from as obvious as you are making out, and pawn and rook endgames are deceptively hard with no time. Mistakes happen all the time. The only 'mistake' in my eyes was pushing for the win when you were the pawn down in the midgame. Keep your head up, and thanks for the video

[@yon_chess]

Bruh Rh6 is a crazy move that you cannot blame yourself for not finding with less than 30 seconds. Very well played game dude.

[@augustz9168]

Keep your head up man. I recently had a similar bitter loss against a 1200 whilst fully winning with 2 towers and he had a bishop (im currently 1370).

[@philipsaoud244]

You can learn so much more from a game like this than you can from a win. Sometimes a misfortune can become a blessing.

[@From_Orbit]

Great video as always

[@JoJo-sv7hc]

Bilo bi sjajno da postoji i verzija na hrvatskom cijelog tvog opusa na netu.Razumijemo većinu ali sve bi bilo na još višem nivou,još razumljivije jer skoro da nema nikoga osim Alojza nešto,nekad da je na hrvatskom držao lekcije.Čestitke na tvom radu,samo nastavi.

[@gorgonensystem3805]

have you ever thought about making an opening series about the ponziani?

[@bluefin.64]

Tough game. Looking forward to happier results for you.

[@Thematic2177]

Being a pawn down in late middlegame, with no active plan - I would gladly take the draw.

[@JohnPaulCauchi]

15:31 Does Rh6 not win? ...c2 h8=Q and you're winning. Or if ...Kxh6 h8=Q+ and the queen gets back to stop the pawn in time

[@JohnPaulCauchi]

ok i realise after Rh6 he has Kh8 wow

[@POV_Twins]

When will you start posting again?

[@SSA-X002]

Would be very interesting to see what the time situation was when Bxh7 was the winning plan, I for sure spend almost all my time there, you can smell the K.O. In the air on those types of positions.

[@ExplainDigital]

How to calculate the best candidate moves?

[@Frankie_apollo1717]

That's a great attitude towards yourself but not others. However, this bad gut feeling is what will propel you forward. All the Greatest players had this fire in team so it is normal don't be yourself up.

[@jake9674]

PLEASE read a book on sports psychology. DO IT Love your channel and following your journey. Sorry for the unsolicited advice. Keep going keep going

[@nocopyrightfreestyle7524]

Hey, I have a question, do you already have a video about the Owen's defense? If not could you please make a video or more? Would love to hear this from your site

[@bastianjimenez3824]

😊 do a series on orthodox defense please you are the best

[@mingxuanzhang-ve3bm]

salute!

[@kidrenegade8525]

What are your board settings?

[@dariuszgietka1457]

Same thing happens to me at 9th round ....when i Play on first board with white got nice attacking position( 2.5-3 engine evaluation) ....and then suddenly my oponent offer me a draw ....a decline ...and after that a badly blunder my adventage ....cuz of many possibile good moves to choose.I lost ....and drop from top ten players ....and drop my first category norm also ...:) such a bad chess lesson😂 i simply underestinated my oponent active options

[@fadrus]

At 12:25 you say you cannot take on d6 because your queen is hanging but you'd be taking with check and, I think, winning the pawn. Is that a winning position, or are you just better, or perhaps I've made a mistake?

[@jamesrahe5287]

Don't destroy yourself over this!

[@la_garde_sombre]

a long time to recover from a chess game.. Brother.. it is just a game ... just chill and relax... you are going to lose again and again. If you take the game so seriously each time you lost, it will not help to improve. Just chill ....

[@CubeVerse-mp2gv]

When reti serie?

[@EgoCZ]

Not considering move which is both capture and check in such attacking possition is pretty bad, hopefully you'll learn. GL with the improvement

[@bruckeundkeinzweck]

Of course he considered it, just didn't play it. By the way, this is the single most annoying type of comment for someone to read after losing a game.

[@EgoCZ]

@@bruckeundkeinzweck He literally said he didnt consider it lol

[@xzenplays3152]

Tomic, can you play blindfold chess?

[@monkeychess1398]

Maybe try not judging yourself and your chess abilities nor positive nor negative way by single games. Just one single game doesn't make you a good or a bad chess player, let alone a better or a worse person. I think coolness is especially important in a so mental game like chess.

[@Chess_venomenon]

Why is the door of the wardrobe open.

[@Lucas-yc8fe]

katharsis

[@GigaShiv]

Chess is hard man its ok

[@DoronBarShay]

I've commented this before but you honestly have a very bad way of using engine analysis, you're frustrated at yourself because you missed a bunch of incomprehensible and insanely tactical engine lines? You should definitely try to analyze your games without the engine because you take the objective evaluation of positions way too seriously.

[@tiedup14]

Way too emotional! Until you get that under control it'll hold you back. Also way too old to still be a bad sport, even if you apologize after the fact.

[@firebug3256]

It's people who leave comments like this who are universally emotionally stunted children who themselves have never matured into adulthood.