Welcome to The MindMasters' Mental Chess Training.
The purpose of this app is to use mental training to provide you with strategies to feel
more at ease and more focused when you play chess, and thereby make it
possible for you to improve your performance.
The target audience of the app is all tournament chess players, regardless
of strength.
Why mental chess training?
Chess is a mental martial art. A person's mental condition has significant
influence on the cognitive process and the ability to think in a
concentrated manner. During a game of chess, a person may experience a
large amount of emotional pressure, such as the fear of losing, the
importance of the result, and other emotional factors which may impair the
cognitive abilities.
Therefore, there may be
a potential for improving chess strength by being able to focus on the
concrete technical chess challenges posed by the position on the board.
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The ability to think may be optimised by being able to focus on
what is currently relevant, and excluding irrelevant factors.
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Tension may be regulated. A certain amount of emotional tension
is an unavoidable and natural condition. Therefore, it is important to
practice the ability to regulate tension, to be able to transform
the emotional tension into an experience of commitment, energy and presence
to be tuned in. In this manner, a person may achieve a focused state of
mind, which may aid the cognitive process instead of hampering it.
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The joy of playing may be strengthened. Research into sports
psychology has shown that the joy of playing one's sport is the most
important motivational factor. Therefore, the sessions will primarily focus
on locating the joy of playing, and teaching how to become aware of it.
How are the sessions structured?
Each session incorporates three elements, each serving their own purpose:
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Physicality – feeling one's body and breathing.
This strengthens a person's ability to focus entirely on the here and now,
and the ability to be present in the moment without becoming distracted by
irrelevant thoughts and emotions. Physicality aids the ability to respond
objectively to a given task without relying on automated responses.
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Repetition of a statement – simple sentences and decisions.
Putting into words important themes that may be remembered and applied.
With a good and positive statement, a narrative may be created that can
support a positive self-image, which can help reduce tension.
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Visualisation – the ability to envision various scenarios.
This strengthens the ability to stay motivated and the desire to reach a
goal. It has a positive influence on emotions and physical well-being. It
prevents random thoughts, making the thought processes more guided and
conscious.
All three elements work to support the remembrance of the themes and topics
being examined in the various sessions.
What is the aim?
The aim is to develop the ability to focus on the concrete chess-technical
mastery of one's current game and to exclude everything else, including the
significance of the result. It is to develop a joy of playing, the ability
to regulate one's emotions, and to guide one's cognitive processes.
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The ultimate aim is to achieve
a mental condition of being tuned in, focused and feeling optimistic
and at ease, and letting this be the foundation of consciously directed
cognitive processes during a game of chess.
The app contains 15 sessions of spoken text spread over three main
categories.
We recommend that you hear each session undisturbed and with earphones on.
Category: Disturbing Thoughts – 6 sessions
The aim of these sessions is to overcome distracting thoughts and
feelings.
Control your nervousness
The aim of this session is to help you gain control over your nervousness –
both before and during your chess game.
Deal with distracting thoughts and feelings
The aim of this session is to deal with distracting thoughts and feelings
that can disturb your peace of mind and cause negative expectations. These
thoughts and feelings may be a response to external conditions. Maybe your
opponent is higher in rating so you think you have lost beforehand. Maybe
you don't like your opponent for some personal reason. It could also be
that you feel a pressure to win because of prize money, rating gain or
loss. When dealing with these thoughts and feelings in a proper way you can
play uninhibited, motivated and with belief in yourself.
Let go of distracting thoughts during a game
The aim of this session is to give you a plan of how to move on, if you are
distracted during a game. It could be you have made a mistake or a bad
move, now or earlier. It could also be, that you are irritated by your
opponent, your choice of opening or by any thought that distracts your mind
from focusing on the current position.
Control your anxiety about losing
The aim of this session is to make you conscious of how anxiety about
losing affects you and how you control it.
Move on after a defeat
The aim of this session is to help you move on after a defeat and regain
self confidence and joy with chess.
Regulate your use of time
The aim of this session is to get you to reflect over your use your time,
and help you to find alternative ways to regulate use of time.
Category: Thought Processes - 6 sessions
The aim of these sessions is to optimize your thought processes and
mental condition.
Prepare mentally for your game
The aim of this session is to prepare you mentally to do your best and play
with full focus and concentration.
Use an inner guide
The aim of this session is to help you create an inner guide. You can use
your inner guide at moments of difficult decisions, when in doubt and as
inspiration in the development of your game.
Keep calm under pressure
The aim of this session is to get your stress level down and get your body
calm if you experience an increased pressure during a game.
Improve your state of wellbeing
The aim of this session is to give you a method to get you in to a mental
state of security and wellbeing that you can use before and during your
game.
Get back on track
The aim of this session is to help you get back on track during a game if
your thoughts go round in circles without progress when analysing
variations.
Play your game when it is best
The aim of this session is to get you in the same state of mind you have,
when you play your game at it´s very best.
Category : Mental wellness - 3 sessions
The aim of these sessions is to strengthen your mental condition by
giving you energy, mental calmness and help you to fall asleep. The
sessions can be used before and after a game when needed.
Renew your energy
The aim of this session is to make your body relax and renew your energy
before or after your game.
Achieve mental peace
The aim of this session is for you to achieve mental peace. This state
relaxes the mind and body and improves your ability to maintain
concentration.
Fall asleep
The aim of this session is to get you to relax physically and mentally, so
that sleep comes by itself.
The exercises in the MindMaster App are designed with inspiration from
research in psychology, mental training, relaxation and meditation.
The aim of the sessions
Each aim of the session will be mentally trained by visualization. During
the sessions you will have to visualize different situations. This is for
you to prepare yourself for how to act when you meet these issues in
practical games.
Why focus on breathing?
Being able to consciously control your breathing is a significant advantage
for your mental condition. The body releases stress hormones, which impairs
your memory and your cognitive skills, when you breathe rapidly into your
chest. When you breathe calmly through your nose and all the way down to
your stomach, your heart rate slows down and the body releases
stress-relieving hormones. This improves your memory and your cognitive
abilities.
Develop new habits
The more times you listen to these session, the greater your possibility to
benefit from them.
Research in the workings of the brain shows that it continuously searches
for signals that may trigger a familiar succession of events, that is to
say, a habit. This is the case as far as physical activities are concerned,
but it is equally the case as regards mental activities. As soon as a new
skill reaches the point of automation and becomes a habit, this provides
the energy and the ability to maintain focus and concentration on a given
mental or physical activity.
When a person learns something new, the brain creates new neural pathways,
and thus the brain is constantly developing and changing. This means that
the more a person applies a certain skill or a certain mode of thinking,
the more developed they become. When a person needs to learn something new
and develop new habits, repetition is required.
By making automatic the mental activity that is the aim of the session, you
will be able to maintain focus and concentration on your game, without
having to use cognitive resources thinking about your mental training.
Dont drive while using the MindMaster App.
