Competetive Chess and Coffeeshop Chess

A few months playing chess on chesscube I've reached a rating of 1449 - sometimes gets a little higher, sometimes lower - feels nice to know the number is an accurate measurement of ability. Can assume also that it'd be pretty similar to an official rating (maybe that'd be 1425 or 1375 or 1475 is beside the point). A player at 1550 in good form I can play competetively on a good day, not much higher than that. 1300-1400's I beat consistentlyl and unless something is pathetic in me a 1200-1300 isn't going to stand a chance.

The challenge for me at this level is more of mindset than knowledge, having a mind to calmly see variations ... not rushing to make a move. Result of which my play is rather slow indeed and often I must bore my competitors to bits - but I don't care, it's all for the win, it's all for the improvement. Improving calculating ability is the main correllate with improvement ... and analyzing the games afterwards.

I grow less and less fond of coffeeshop chess mainly because I am not very good at it. Haven't I just written about this? I know. I'll start up a game with guys I like, I know I am the stronger player and my chess ability is a leap above theirs. I'll go into the game with an overconfidence which my motivated opponents of course are quick to exploit. Playing without the clock is unpleasant, unless risking a pompous asshole it just isn't possible to stare at the board for five minutes until the correct path appears in my mind. Unlike when I am playing in my smelly somewhat disorganized room I am too attuned to the social environ (and often am playing a chess game when that isn't what I want to do). Like poor Waitzkin I can be thinking more about how I look than what chess I am playing - whether I even realize it or not! The positions aren't very interesting because I can't think about them in the solitude I like to, sometimes moves that appear rather interesting to my opponents, but maybe knowing more about chess than them I see how error-ridden the positions are. Can't underestimate my opponents, their minds are probably more geared to chess than I - I who never played any sport until chess, who had to wait until late twenties to develop a competetive sportsmanlike attitude. The fantasy of being such an overwhelmingly strong player to crush casual opponents without having to think is that, at least until I'm able to improve another 100-200 rating points. Definitely no ability at speed chess of any sort - my mind can pull together the right moves, or reasonable moves, but it takes time, precious precious time.