4 ms·
When I started playing squash, my only opponent was an ex-league player. The two of us kept a mental log of my highest score against him, which steadily increas
by ycombinete 7y ago
When I started playing squash, my only opponent was an ex-league player. The two of us kept a mental log of my highest score against him, which steadily increased as I got better, and he showed me where I was going wrong. Over the next year I didn’t beat him once, but occasionally would best my previous high score, which was always exhilarating, until about a year an a half later were we’re on equal footing, and I could start playing, mentally, for the win.
That said, not all games can support this mental model. Chess for instance I always find disheartening to play against much better players. A 600 ELO point difference in chess basically means you will never win, and it becomes futile, and crushing.
- narag 7y agoA 600 ELO point difference in chess basically means you will never win, and it becomes futile, and crushing. But after losing a dozen times with that guy, you play against someone else and it's you that crush your opponent, so not so futile.
- CogDisco 7y agoAssuming you can learn anything from the experience. What you might learn is weird idiosyncrasies and futile tactics playing from desperation. You might learn to not lose so quickly, but that's not the same as winning.
- narag 7y agoI don't keep playing lost games, I just resign. Maybe I should because I play mostly bullet, but as you say, you don't really learn anything interesting in those situations. I do improve playing against better players than me. Like 200 or 300 this year. Maybe it's because I'm more focused when the opponent has a better rating.