Playing in your bedroom with headphones on is a fundamentally different experience from competing on a stage with thousands of screaming fans. The crowd factor encompasses the psychological impact of a live audience on player performance. Some players thrive under the spotlight, feeding off crowd energy to perform beyond their normal level. Others crumble, with shaky hands and missed shots they would never miss in practice. Crowds can also provide inadvertent information, reacting to flanks or plays visible on the big screen that players should not know about, which is why soundproof booths and white noise are standard at major events.