How do psycho attacks work?

Pscho attacks are powerful simply because there is a basis for the attacks. That basis is your own fear. I call it imagined fears. The idea is to swamp your ability to reason.

It is very hard to build confidence. If your end game is not strong and you are missing chances to win because of that, then you must work on your end game etc.

If you are afraid of titles then you must look closely at their real level of chess, ie competitors analysis, and measure the skill gap.

You need to learn to reduce your fear and build your confidence. Then you can see. For a good example of imagined fears, go to Jimmy's site. They are all grouped there now. Do not be repelled by the ugliness. You must look because that is the way they get to you. If you can see past the psycho attacks you will see their fear.

Yes, it is them who are afraid. Can you see that? See the imagined fears there. They are spiralling, one thought tripping into the next. And they are trying to do the same to you.

I have said that psycho tricks work up to maybe the IM level. The GM comes from deep reasoning, from a deep understanding of chess.

This is what mind coaching is about. See past the fears. Stop your own mind from spiralling. When you can see their fear beneath the belligerence, then you can be less afraid. And your chess will improve. Good luck and all my best.

More on imagined fears. Here.