Here are some guidelines to follow.
Rule #1: No rule is set in stone, all the "rules" below, are actually just guidelines.
Opening guidelines:
1. Open with a center pawn (E or D)
2. Develop with threats
3. Develop Knights before Bishops
4. Try to avoid moving the same piece twice
5. Avoid unnecessary pawn moves
6. Don't bring your Queen out too soon
7. Castle as soon as you can, usually kingside
8. Try to get control of the center squares
9. Try to keep a pawn in the center
10. Don't sac pieces, unless you know exactly why you are doing it
Guidelines for the middlegame:
1. Try to make a plan and make your moves fit that plan
2. If you are ahead in material, exchange pieces
3. Avoid doubled and/or weak pawns
4. If you have less space, try to exchange pawns and pieces to create more space
5. Don't expose your king unless Queens are off the board
6. Combinations/tactics are often based on double attacks
7. When your opponent has pieces exposed (especially their King), look for tactics
8. Open files and or diagonals to attack the enemy King (but only after you have finished development and have your King safe)
9. Make your pieces work together
10. Counterattack is often the best defense
Guidelines for the endgame:
1. You can't force a checkmate with just one Bishop or a Knight or two Knights
2. Activate your King
3. Push your passed pawns
4. Pure pawn endings are the easiest to win (when you are winning)
5. If you are at least one pawn ahead, trade pieces, not pawns
6. Don't put your pawns on the same color Squares as your Bishop, if you have one
7. Bishops are often better than Knights, because they can go across the board in one move (exception: blocked pawn positions)
8. Try to get your Rook on the 7th rank (this is often worth sacrificing a pawn)
9. Rooks behind passed pawns
10. Block opponent's passed pawns with your King
Source: "A First Book of Morphy" by Del Rosario
I am playing chess for short time but may be can good advice what need to focus to achieve next Elo?
I started as with big drop to below 400 and it took for me quite time to get out of that. 😁 but it was good practice to see all fast and easy checkmate’s ( still sometimes fall for them or dont know how to counter so that do not lose to many peces). But overal I pass that phase and now I am stuck in 600-700 elo. I did not have some good tactic but mainlly use one opening on both black and white but no I see it is not enought coz I see people at this ELO can easly counter this.
May be some advice what I can pay more focus to keep rolling?!
I try to check nee openings but atill cant find ehat can be good to keep up when playing with black.
Ty andvance