Why We Lose

I LOST two consecutive chess games to an average player yesterday evening.

I resigned the first game after my 38th move, because I have made a lot of mistakes and was materially behind. I decided to resign, on the grounds that I could not catch up based on my analysis of the immediate situation.

The second game started soon and I eventfully lost despite my determination and the skillful efforts I deployed to win. When I got home to sleep I did a quick analysis of the games and realized that I lost the second one simply because I wasn't enjoying the game as a game; I was thinking too deeply and too much, every of my move was carefully considered for all possible outcomes. And I lost on time because my opponent was only enjoying himself and he didn't have to think too much.

I later analyzed the first game and grasped too late that I could have won if I had not resigned as my opponent's positioning was awry and precarious but I didn't see that, all I saw was my material deficiency!

Then I went to discuss this with my Mentor and he said in his usual gruffly voice:

“Son, son, son this is why people lose more than they win in life. They lose because they lose hope like you did in your first game; they also lose because they know and or read too much, they lose to being too careful while time creeps in like you did in your second game.
They lose because they are not enjoying life, they are not living life, and they are busy being too careful”

He paused and concluded sternly.

“Son, you will lose every time you lose hope and resign, you may lose even if you are determined to win, there are many enemies in life; time and your education are not your best friends”.

On this note I went to sleep.