“I feel like I have to win this weaker player.”

A junior told me this at a workshop. 

She was playing someone ranked below her and felt a lot of pressure.

She worried about what people would think if she lost.

So she wasn’t playing to win. She was playing not to lose.

But think about your friend who once lost to a lower-ranked player.

Did you think they were a bad player? Probably not. 

And how long did you think about it? 

Maybe a minute. Then you moved on.

It’s the same when you lose.

The people watching don’t see you as a bad player. 

They expected you to win because they already know you’re a good player.

And most of them won’t think about it for long.

They are focused on their own matches, their own results, their own worries. 

So try not to worry about what others think when you play against lower-ranked players. 

The opinion in your head is usually much harsher than anyone else is actually thinking. 🙂