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rmstew
On a horrible losing streak. Falling out of love with chess.

Can’t get my rating past 800
Potato50012

Just push through. You can improve.

Potato50012

It takes time.

wgnoyes
Press on.
yuann

I agree

kiwichesskiwi

@rm  Just a few suggestions:  Maybe try playing a few longer slower games in daily chess so you have time to carefully assess the position.  Think about your opponent's last move and check for hanging pieces, tactics and blunders.  Analyse the games after you play them.  Solve many puzzles without time restraints and don't worry too much about ratings.  All the best!

RussBell

@rmstew -

From your profile you play exclusively bullet and blitz.

Try to play mostly longer time controls, including "daily" chess, so you have time to think about what you should be doing - blitz and bullet chess may be fun, but at this stage of your development they will do little to promote your rapid improvement or your understanding of how to play correctly.

It makes sense that taking time to think about what you should be doing would promote improvement in your chess skills.

This is not to suggest that you should necessarily play exclusively slow time controls or daily games, but they should be the greater percentage of your games, much more so than blitz and bullet which do almost nothing to promote an understanding of how to play the game well.  Rapid chess tends to be primarily an exercise in moving pieces around faster than your opponent while avoiding checkmate, in hopes that his/her clock runs out sooner than yours.

Here's what IM Jeremy Silman has to say on the topic...

https://www.chess.com/article/view/longer-time-controls-are-more-instructive

And the experience of a FIDE Master...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-blitz-and-bullet-rotted-my-brain-don-t-let-it-rot-yours

Also, playing without an understanding of fundamental chess principles and how to apply them will do little to help you become a good chess player.  In order to understand these principles it takes study - there is no easy, quick solution to playing good chess....you have to put in the effort to learn...
Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond....
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

 

kindaspongey

"... Sure, fast games are fine for practicing openings (not the most important part of the game for most players) and possibly developing decent board vision and tactical 'shots', but the kind of thinking it takes to plan, evaluate, play long endgames, and find deep combinations is just not possible in quick chess. … for serious improvement ... consistently play many slow games to practice good thinking habits. ... I know that a large percentage of my readers almost exclusively play on the internet - after all, you are reading this on the internet, right!? But there is a strong case for at least augmenting internet play with some OTB play, whether in a club or, better yet, a tournament. ... I would guess that players who have never played OTB usually gain 50-100 points of playing strength just from competing in their first long weekend tournament, assuming they play five or more rounds of very slow chess. ... Don't have two day? Try a one-day quad (a round-robin among four similarly rated players). … about 100 slow games a year is a reasonable foundation for ongoing improvement. ... Can't make 100? Then try for 60. If you only play three or fewer tournaments a year and do not play slow chess regularly at a club (or on-line, where G/90 and slower play is relatively rare), then do not be surprised that you are not really improving. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf

kindaspongey

"... for those that want to be as good as they can be, they'll have to work hard.
Play opponents who are better than you … . Learn basic endgames. Create a simple opening repertoire (understanding the moves are far more important than memorizing them). Study tactics. And pick up tons of patterns. That’s the drumbeat of success. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (December 27, 2018)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/little-things-that-help-your-game
https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-start-out-in-chess
https://www.chess.com/news/view/a-new-years-resolution-improve-your-chess-with-new-lessons

https://www.chess.com/article/view/mastery-chess-lessons-are-here
"... In order to maximize the benefits of [theory and practice], these two should be approached in a balanced manner. ... Play as many slow games (60 5 or preferably slower) as possible, ... The other side of improvement is theory. ... This can be reading books, taking lessons, watching videos, doing problems on software, etc. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627084053/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf
"... If it’s instruction, you look for an author that addresses players at your level (buying something that’s too advanced won’t help you at all). This means that a classic book that is revered by many people might not be useful for you. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2015)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever
Here are some reading possibilities that I often mention:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5856bd64ff7c50433c3803db/t/5895fc0ca5790af7895297e4/1486224396755/btbtactics2excerpt.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092617/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review560.pdf

rmstew

Thanks for the tips and comments! happy.png

rmstew

I'm having a crack at the longer games. I think there's something to be said for the less frenetic games - certainly easier to think about the next move instead of rushing it.

RussBell
rmstew wrote:

I'm having a crack at the longer games. I think there's something to be said for the less frenetic games - certainly easier to think about the next move instead of rushing it.

Good thinking....!

A good place to play longer games is your local chess club and over the board (OTB) tournaments...

Maybe make new friends at the chess club, I'm sure many of them would be happy to help you improve!

DrBozMD

Also, looking at your blitz ranking, you HAVE improved since May. happy.png Focus on your accomplishments, no matter how small. It will help you get through those losing streaks. Speaking from experience (I've been losing for a long time wink.png).

eheadsfan

avoid playing bullet. 

rmstew
eheadsfan wrote:

avoid playing bullet. 

Agreed. I tried bullet a few times but didn't win a single game.

AussieMatey

You've won the last 5 so don't stew on it.

googleenpassentholyhell
Savage47 wrote:
rmstew wrote:
On a horrible losing streak. Falling out of love with chess.

Can’t get my rating past 800

Seriously, I let my dog play online sometimes and she's rated 950. Granted she's very smart for but she's still a dog. 

dogs arent cognizant you idiot lol

Terminator-T800

If you can't past 800 that would only mean one thing. You don't love the game enough yet.

CatsWithWings00
rmstew wrote:
On a horrible losing streak. Falling out of love with chess.

Can’t get my rating past 800

Chess isn't always about winning you know. If you love something then you're going to do it no matter what. I'm always losing constantly however I love to play chess and will continue playing and that is how I will learn. I've found that playing with someone who is willing to help you (usually someone who is higher rated than I) is a great weapon to have up your sleeve because they're personally training you one on one and you get all the attention and help you need. 

CatsWithWings00
Potato50012 wrote:

It takes time.

So true. It takes time to learn how to do anything in life. I play the piano and am still forever learning however I keep on going to reach a higher goal. happy.png