Mental Toughness in Chess by Werner Schweitzer

Author:Werner Schweitzer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New in Chess

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Mental Toughness through Taking Naps

1 Source: Bridger E., Mecklinger A. Nap sleep preserves associative but not item memory performance. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2015 Feb 27;120:84-93. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.02.012.

Has it happened to you that you sit in front of the board during a game and you are no longer sure about the move order of the opening? Or that you realize that the move order you played in the opening was not the right one? Or maybe you have confused two variations and played a move that belongs to another variation? When playing chess, we constantly need our memory to recall information. Unfortunately, all too often, this does not work as perfectly and reliably as we would like.

Here a nap could provide a remedy! Everyone will have heard that a nap has positive effects on your brain, and we would like to put trust in this maxim. But there is usually too little or no time for it. Often, other things intervene, and there are a hundred thousand reasons why the nap is not taken.

Maybe your attitude will change when I tell you that these effects have been scientifically proven? A study at the University of Saarland1 has shown that the performance of our memory can be improved by up to five times through 45 to 60 minutes of sleep. Interestingly, the recalling of individual words does not improve, but our associative memory does improve. Associative memory is responsible for linking information and retrieving linked information.

What does this insight mean for you and your chess? All complex thinking processes are based on links. Therefore, the associative memory is needed for the retrieving of opening variations and certain types of positions. A great many players try to remember different variations in the course of their game preparation, and prepare in this way until right before the game. It would be an essential step in our improving performance to take a nap of around 45 to 60 minutes after choosing our opening options. Only after that should one learn or repeat the variations. And it would be ideal to take another nap for about half an hour before the game.

Just give it a try and allow yourself a nap with a clear conscience! This will enable you to significantly increase your inculcation and memory performance. And you will be able to get better positions from your openings with less effort.

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