I myself have never been an Olympic champion, but I’ve had my moments – some great, some good, some not so good.

At an early age I fell in love with the game of chess. Since then I know that “love” is exactly the right concept to describe the relationship between a player and his or her game.

I’ve played chess, breathed chess, won and lost chess. When I grew up, I became a chess trainer.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the world of competition hasn’t changed much since Greek runners raced around the Acropolis, thousands of years ago. The challenge, the effort, the difficulties, the win or loss, are common to all athletes and games players: footballers, gymnasts, swimmers, chess players, runners, and those who play thinking games.

So whether you’re Jordan, Sharapova, Ronaldinho, Kasparof, or the sixth grade’s top Quoridor player – the fruits of my experience are offered to you!

Support your teammates. They’re part of you, and together you’re something more than the sum of separate parts.

Play fair. The taste of victory is sweet – but cheating leaves a bad taste. Win through fair play, and taste victory the way it’s meant to be.

When the time comes, give your best, maximum effort. One of the most amazing moments in my life was watching Michael Jordan play while running a fever of 39.4° C (103° F). He had every excuse in the world to lose – but he chose to win!

Drink plenty of water. If it’s good for Beckham, it’s good for you, too.

Prepare for your games. One of the greatest World Champions of chess, Mikhail Botvinnik, would train for hours in a smoke-filled room, tired and hungry, with an iron discipline. Then when he’d play a competition game, it was already easier.

Respect your opponent. Respecting the other person has a powerful boomerang effect. This will always come back to you with great benefit.

Listen to your coach. I repeat: Listen to your coach. he’s been there, he’s familiar with you, he understands the game and knows the strategies. So listen to him! Even if your coach might like to be out there playing instead of you, he wants even more to see you win.

Involve your friends and family members. Remember, the crowd will love you and support you when you win, but your friends and family will be there for you when you lose, too. The experiences of the Mind Olympics games are composed of your strongest feelings – don’t keep them to yourself.

Seek challenges. Captain John Paul Jones was a U.S. naval hero of the Revolutionary War. In one of the battles, he ran into a tough situation: his ship was about to sink, enemy ships surrounded him, and his crew was in despair. Suddenly came a voice from the enemy’s deck: “Are you ready to surrender?” One of his own sailors asked him, “Sir, is this the end?” “The end?” declared John Paul Jones, “I have not yet begun to fight!” With this call he breathed new spirit into his crew, and Captain John Paul Jones went on to win the battle and secured his place of honor in the history of the American navy. So any time your position is shaky or you suffer a depressing defeat, tell yourself: I’ve only just begun to fight!

Learn from losing. Victories leave us with a sense of confidence and high spirits. Defeats, though, are our teachers for all of Life. You lost a game? Don’t lose the lesson you’ll learn from it.

Stay concentrated till the end. Have you noticed the expressions on the faces of world champions during a competition? Tiger Woods golfing, the gymnast Nadia Comaneci, Judith Polgar in chess, Bjorn Borg in tennis. They aren’t mad at anyone, they’re just concentrating intensely on their game and the challenge they face. Don’t let anything before the final whistle stop you from concentrating.

Don’t be afraid. “We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” said U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And in earlier times, people no less wise have said, “And the essence is not to be afraid at all.” Big and strong as your opponent may indeed be, s/he too is afraid. Focus on the challenge and don’t fear it.

Use what you’ve learned. Strategies, tactics, secret moves and clever methods – you’ve learned a lot, now’s the time to put that knowledge to good use.

Practice meditation. I’m not kidding, and this isn’t only for Oriental mystics. Learn to breathe and to listen to yourself. An ancient Chinese story tells of a wrestler who sought advice on how to win his match the next day. The wise man told him to close his eyes and think of ocean waves. The wrestler did so and imagined waves – at first, small ones, then bigger and bigger. He continued throughout the night, till next day in the ring he saw himself as powerful, surging surf, and won with ease. So the mystics may have something there: the mind is stronger than the body.

Expect the unexpected: There may be surprises and changes – but without them, the game wouldn’t be challenging. Remember, this is only the beginning; you “have not yet begun to fight!”

Play well – winning is just a bonus. The greatest players are those who simply love to play. This feeling together with talent makes the difference.

Love yourself. As you go along your way, love the moves you make in game-playing and in life, the good times and the not-so-good. Take what the game has to offer you, but remember that a game is only a game – what makes it meaningful is YOU!

Games, opponents, tactics, and results change again and again. The sporting experience remains with you all your life. Take seriously at least some of the advice I’ve provided. By the way, the one about water is worth making a lifelong practice!

Trainer and games referee

Mind Lab Group