I used to think it was just me, but over the years I have run into other people who claim to share this problem. I am wondering whether this is a known and understood phenomenon, or if it just boils down to "bad players experience this, good ones don't."

If I stop playing chess, even for a short period of time (say, a few months or possibly less), I seem to lose every bit of chess skill and cunning I ever possessed. Invariably, when I decide to start playing again, I am the worst chess player on the planet. Then, I am always able to slowly grind my way up to being strong compared to my regular opponents, but as soon as I stop playing, it's like everything I learned is erased from my brain.

I don't know how to put it to make it clear how severe this problem is. Except for knowing how the pieces move, every time I start playing after a hiatus, it's like I'm playing the first game of chess I've ever played.

I don't have this problem with any other competitive mental endeavor, but it happens over and over again with chess. I took up chess one year in high school and sucked. By the end of the year, no one could touch me. I took up chess again when I was homeless (chess is surprisingly popular in shelters) and got destroyed; after a couple months, I was winning every game. I took up chess again years later, and children were beating me; eventually I was by far the best in my circle.

I have a theory on what causes this, besides the fact that I am just bad at chess (which I am), but I wonder what others have to say on the subject.

SpaceAce

Very interesting post. My knee-jerk response is that the circle in which you were "untouchable" consisted largely of people who sucked. But of course I could be wrong.

I took a break of somewhere around 3-4 years, came back and I hadn't really rusted much at all. And within a few months I'd broken my best rating ever, and was enjoying the game vastly more than ever before as well for some reason. On the other hand I've played quite alot of people otb who rusted severely including one guy who said he was 2200+ back in the day, but played probably around 1800 strength at best when we played. I didn't really believe him but I suppose he had no reason to lie.

Dire is it a poor reflection on me that this forum makes me desperately curious as to your USCF rating? It seems like it could be anywhere from 1900 to 2250+.

I don't know what it is.

1) goto uschess.org/msa
2) Type in your name
3) Satisfy quickfetus' curiosity

I'll even send you a free chess book. I'm not even joking!

Unrated mate. I've only played my one USCF tournament, for 6 games - 8 years ago.

Sorry to leave you hanging.

PM me when the book's here. Actually I'll know since it'll be the only friggin chess book in Thailand.

That should still be enough for you to have a provisional rating... though of course it wouldn't really mean anything.

For whatever reason I also don't feel like I suffer from rustiness much after long layoffs.

No, you're probably not wrong. At the very least, they were not exceptionally strong players.

SpaceAce

Interesting, chess rust isn't much of an issue for you, I guess. I don't suffer from this brain reset problem in anything else I can think of, just chess. I am a little surprised no one else replied to say they had a similar problem, as I kind of suspected it would be fairly common among casual and/or poor players such as myself.

Edit:
From what I've read around here, you are a strong player. I wonder if there are any serious/dedicated but weakish players on this forum who are willing to throw in their two cents.

SpaceAce

i setback a tad, but not a ton

FWIW I'm like a 1200 uscf 1600 icc standard atm, 1100 5minute pool.

I quit all the time and take a break for months-years.

Whenever I restart I def am weaker for a week or two, but shortly after I stop hanging stuff. I would say i'm currently strongest i've ever been and it's about a month that i've been back at it since 2006 or so.

I actually improved after I stopped playing for several years. It took me a few weeks to get my tactics up to scratch, and my endgames are still weaker, but I am doing pretty well.

I didn't play at all in 2007-early 2008, came back and had maybe 2 terrible tournaments (performed about 200 points below my rating). Within 6 weeks or so I was back where I had been.

just in case:

www.bangkokchess.com/ a few grandmaster there and loads of strong players, usual meeting point is the Bull's head pub.

For books kikokuya or something like that in paragon is good and they can order anything, but most big bookstore in bangkok have chessbooks.

Been to the tuesday meets a couple of nights already and have done very well. Do you go / did we play? I'm invariably the underdressed guy with the girl. Turns out I'm not particularly fond of otb blitz, especially against overly arrogant 2400s who bitch and moan when and WHILE they're losing.

I'll definitely check out kikokuya. I've only checked out asia books and a couple of other local places so far. It's odd that almost nobody over here even knows the word chess. I started translating it to makh ruk farang. lol

I've been there a year or so ago, when a friend of mine ( fide master or national master not sure ) was "pushing" chess on me.
Somehow i started playing last week so i guess the push was effective.

Underdressed with a girl? isn't it the most common look in bangkok?

I'll probably check the place soon since it's holiday and I'd like to find a chess teacher/coach.

Cheers