Overpressing in Chess: A Personal Epiphany

Lessons from Seven Deadly Chess Sins by Johnathan Rowson

My Epiphany

While reading about Egoism in a wonderful book by Johnathan Rowson in Seven Deadly Chess Sins (7DCS), a book a highly recommend for emotional chess players, I had a profound realization. In my games, especially the ones I lose, I am not necessarily being outplayed by my opponents. Instead, I am often my own worst enemy. I push too hard, trying to force a win, and in doing so, I make critical mistakes. My opponents, on the other hand, simply play solid moves and capitalize on my errors.

The Egoism Trap: Pushing Too Hard

Egoism, as Rowson describes it, is when a player becomes too overly attached to their position or the idea of winning, often leading to unnecessary aggression. Forcing if you will instead of just playing solid improving moves. We want to control the game, force a victory, or "prove" something on the board. In doing so, we can abandon objectivity, disregarding the actual demands of the position.

For me, this manifests as overpressing—trying to squeeze water from a stone when there's no real opportunity for a breakthrough and a completely emotional response based on the person across the board from me. I’ve noticed this in my own games. When I feel like I should be winning or want to dictate the pace, I force moves that aren’t justified by the position. I try to create complications, but instead, I create weaknesses, and my opponents capitalize on them by simply playing good, solid moves.

My Personal Experience

Before reading this, I hadn’t fully grasped that over-pressing was a significant issue in my games. I would often review losses and blame them on tactical oversights or distractions or even faulty thought process. But after reflecting on the games I’ve lost recently, I realized a common theme: I wasn’t being outplayed strategically or tactically. Instead, I was trying to manufacture something that wasn’t there. Again “forcing” the position to do something that was not called for.

For example, I’d find myself in equal positions—maybe a little dull, but certainly not losing—and feel the urge to complicate things, believing that my opponent was playing passively or that I could “surprise” them with a sudden attack. But instead of creating problems for my opponent, I was creating them for myself. They weren’t winning by superior strategy; they were just capitalizing on my errors after I overextended.

Why We Over-Press

The tendency to over-press often comes from a few places when ruminating on this:

• Impatience: In quiet or equal positions, it’s easy to get frustrated or even uneasy. Maybe you want to go home? Perhaps we are bored. We want the game to move forward, but it’s not clear how to do so. Instead of waiting for the right moment, we jump in too early, with catastrophic consequences.

• Ego: As Rowson pointed out, Egoism drives us to believe we should be in control of the game at all times. We feel like we have to create something, instead of accepting that sometimes the position requires waiting, defending, or even admitting that a draw is the best possible outcome.

• Fear of Inactivity: There’s often a feeling that if we aren’t attacking, we’re doing something wrong. Many players equate "doing nothing" with losing, when in fact, some of the best chess players in the world know when to hold steady and wait for their opponent to make the first move. This is the most difficult part of chess to learn in my experience.

What’s the Solution?

Now that I’ve identified this issue, the challenge is how to fix it. Overpressing is rooted in mindset, so the solution has to be more than just technical adjustments—it requires a psychological shift. Here’s what I plan to focus on:

1. Embrace Objectivity: The board doesn’t care about my ego. I need to accept positions as they are, not as I want them to be. If there’s no advantage, it’s okay to maintain equality, improve my pieces, and wait for my opponent to make a mistake instead of forcing one myself. Set aside all emotions if possible. This is a major issue to contend with for myself.

2. Patience Over Urgency: Chess is a long game, especially in classical time controls. Instead of feeling the need to win immediately, I need to remind myself that patience is key. Sometimes making waiting moves is the best option. To allow your opponent to make the mistakes. Many games are won not by flashy tactics but by small, incremental improvements and waiting for the right opportunity.

3. Learn to Play Solidly: There’s value in simply playing good moves without forcing complications. I can work on building solid positions that don’t give my opponent counterplay, even if they don’t lead to immediate fireworks. Improve a piece. Come up with a plan to improve multiple pieces.

4. Watch for My Own Weaknesses: When I push too hard, I often leave weaknesses in my position—pawns overextended, exposed kings, or pieces that lose coordination. Being aware of this tendency and actively looking for these vulnerabilities will help prevent self-sabotage.

5. What Are They Trying To Do To Me?: This will become a staple in my thought process. It is an absolute must. Many times we forget there is another person across the table also trying to win a chess game. It is important to be mindful of what they are also trying to do.

Conclusion: A New Approach and Thought Process

Reading Seven Deadly Chess Sins significantly helped me identify a critical flaw in my play—overpressing due to egoism. Recognizing this pattern has been a game-changer for me. Having already adopted this and moving forward, my goal is to deploy a more patient, objective approach to my games, especially when there’s no clear path to victory. By resisting the urge to force things and staying calm, I should be able avoid unnecessary losses and become a more consistent player. Following these things should take my chess up to the Expert level (2000 USCF) for those who may not know.

Chess isn’t about proving yourself or forcing a win—it’s about making the best moves based on the position in front of you. The realization that I’m often my own worst enemy has been eye-opening, but it’s also a sign that my next phase of improvement is within my control. Road to Expert has begun!