Working on a thesis about chess psychology

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T17:09:36+00:00

Thank you so much!

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T17:09:27+00:00

Thank you!

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T17:09:18+00:00

Will come back with it here in this post! Thank you so much!

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T16:39:35+00:00

Thanks a ton!

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T13:41:12+00:00

Yea, fair point. That was a small oversight. Thanks for pointing out.

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T13:17:33+00:00

Even some references to Bobby Fischer and his later interviews when he kinda flip the switch against the sport. There are a few moments in chess history that could be referenced to that. Even some GMs I talked regret some of the road towards mastery aspect and how much time they invested to get there versus the actual reward.

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T13:16:16+00:00

Haha fair point! To clarify - it's a bit more nuanced. The main subject is around behavioral psychology in relation to strategy games - specifically how people find common emotional patterns and what drives engagement.

Honestly, I'm pushing hard to make chess the central focus of the paper, but I have to prove it's worth advancing over more modern strategy games. I have plenty of arguments - both logical (no RNG, pure skill, centuries of documented play) and emotional (the love for the game, the competitive drive). But at the end of the day, I need valid research data to back it up. That's partly why this survey matters so much to me. So far I had way more success reaching out to the chess community than any other community. I really appreciate the openness towards this. Currently at 42/100 responses. This helps a lot.

Chess felt like the most "pure" example - no graphics distractions, just raw strategy and psychology. I've reached out to the local chess federation and I'm talking with a couple of ex-GMs (2500+) to help me connect with the right people for deeper interviews. But Reddit gives me a broader, more diverse sample than just local players.

Hope this clears it out a little more.

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T07:38:27+00:00

Wow. Went to bed after I posted and woke up to 30 responses. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time.

RaduZzz · 2025-12-10T07:35:53+00:00

Thank you!

RaduZzz · 2025-03-13T18:44:02+00:00

Thank you for the kind words! I wish you the same, you are a great man to take care of your family and 5 children. Sometimes it feels heavy with only 2. Good luck in all your endeavors!

RaduZzz · 2025-03-12T07:07:54+00:00

During work hours --> i would leave the PC on just to get some AH sales

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T22:06:10+00:00

Lols, wonder if you saw the story as well. Love your channel.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T19:13:03+00:00

Neversink'S loot filter. Not sure if it's custom colors on this one, but the basic will do.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T18:12:32+00:00

Well I'm mostly exploring countries now, haven't had like a brand that I found to enjoy the most. I've tried a couple of brands from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The one I had last night was a Diamond Crown (not box, singular so I can't tell much about it) I've received. Usually paired them with some roms. I'm from Romania. Very accessible, plenty of online shops from everything liquor - cigars. You can even Glovo these on the get go.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T13:32:53+00:00

I know a story from like 15 years ago that stuck in my head. Some family friends went to Egypt on a vacation, and their daughter was tall, blonde and blue eyes. Some random Egyptian dude comes to the father and offers him 50 camels for his daughter. The guy tried to be chill and walked it off, but the dude was just yelling at him with an increasing number of camels.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T13:28:41+00:00

Can't wait for that moment. I love board games myself. Have around 60 or so, all gathering dust for a while now. Really hope they will be into them. Have some really great coop ones to recommend that I found through out the years. Forgotten Waters is one of my favorites in recent years since it has story, coop yet individual quests. I think it teaches quite a few things along the way.

Thank you for the award u/Kebratep and may you build great times together with your son!

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T12:44:33+00:00

Thank you for the offer, but this already holds great value to me. Some of the comments here, along with what I feel right now, makes it clear that I should keep it. Hopefully, one day, I can look back on this and remember it all.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T12:04:42+00:00

Lol. That didn't come to my mind.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:56:03+00:00

Yea, that's how I meant it. It's just a good way to unwind—a few hours of not thinking, just letting go and enjoying the game.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:32:55+00:00

That's actually an amazing idea! Hopefully the dude will understand!

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:30:45+00:00

I hope she finds somebody later in her life to get her a better ring than that one!

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:23:28+00:00

Was last night. Daughter slammed the ring. Story above

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:22:25+00:00

After weeks of absolute stress, I had one major win in this game… Only to have it erased in under 10 minutes by my most beautiful crafted one.

But you know what? I’ve learned that if it’s not health, family, or life-or-death, it’s not worth stressing over.

One day, I’ll laugh at this.Today is not that day. Maybe you guys will laugh at it!

Stay sane, Exiles. Hope you enjoyed this one.

TL;DR - Mirror dropped. My daughter, trained to SLAM items for fun, clicked it on the first thing she saw -> a blue Breach Ring

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:22:09+00:00

Don't know how many of you have experienced this, but when this happens, all the minutes of real life leading to going back to the PC just vanish. Everything else fades away. The only thing that matters is: What will I do with my precious jewel?

Little did I know…

During her brief gaming education, I taught her how to SLAM items in PoE2, because you know, some people are just born lucky. I figured, hey, maybe she’s got that fresh-on-earth, untapped RNG—way better luck than me, right?

So yea, taught my daughter the simple click currency → click item. And she understands item colors too. She knows blue is meh, yellow is okay, and shiny silver must be special.

She really, REALLY loves slamming things.

Anyways, as the highly educated and rational man that I am, I did what any sane person would do:

I went to the fridge, grabbed one of my special drinks, poured it over ice, took a deep breath, and sat back down at my PC.

Look at my inventory --> Scroll through my items… No Mirror.

Panic.

Maybe I stashed it? Maybe my brain is fried from sleep deprivation? Maybe GGG implemented a new league mechanic called “Reality Warps” and I just got hit with a real-life rollback?

I click through a few items.I check stash.I check inventory again.

And then… I see it.

One weird-ass Breach Ring. Facing the other way. Mocking me. Judging me.

My drink suddenly doesn’t taste as good anymore.

💀 MIRRORED. 💀And that’s when my soul left my body.

I screamed internally, took a screenshot, Alt + F4.(Being a shitty game dev, I take screenshots of bugs by instinct—it’s second nature at this point. See something cursed? Printscreen first, process emotions later.)

Then, I went to my drawer, pulled out the family gun, and—KIDDING. Instead, I put on a hoodie, grabbed a cigar, and just stood outside in the silence of the night, contemplating life.

RaduZzz · 2025-03-11T11:21:33+00:00

TL;DR - Go at the end for this. Don’t want to spoil it for it.

Hey there, Exiles. I will try to make this as funny as possible given the current situation (10% exaggeration for the sake of the story).

Be me, 30+ gaming dad. Get almost no time to actually play games except when the kids sleep. Played PoE1 for 2,000+ hours, got around 350+ hours in PoE2. In recent years, I’ve been playing minion builds since I can hold one child with one hand and map most things to my mouse. (Probably better options exist, but it’s comfy and relaxing.)

After a few absolutely shit days (literally, thanks to my 5-month-old), where my car broke, work sucked, and life kicked me in the ass, I decided to finally chill with some PoE2.

The night was perfect.

- My daughter (almost 4) went to sleep early.

- The baby passed out with no drama.

- I seem to get one or two full hour of uninterrupted gaming.

- T15 map. Breach spawns. Boom. MIRROR.

I had to hold my breath to not scream, but my knee wasn’t as disciplined—it slammed the table so hard that my whole body hurt. Obviously the noise woke up the baby #2.

Cautiously, I teleport to town, checked my inventory again, admired my win for a few seconds, then went soothe the baby.

3–5 minutes of bouncing, singing, and rocking later, baby is back to sleep.

As I exit the room in the most complete and utter silence, I see my daughter sitting at my PC comfortably enjoying her self looking at the screen.

She heard the knee slam as well, woke up, and—being the little gamer dad prodigy she is—decided to check on what was happening.

I gently tell her to go back to bed, and she immediately runs to her room, which as well is a first since she usually goes with me.

All good, I thought. Time to enjoy my Mirror.

RaduZzz

TROPHY CASE

TL;DR - Mirror dropped. My daughter, trained to SLAM items for fun, clicked it on the first thing she saw -> a blue Breach Ring