What am I supposed to analyze in "analysis?" What's the point of game analysis anyway?

Based on the game above it doesn't make sense to worry about computer analysis. I would forget about doing analysis for the moment and focus on learning the basics. You're leaving pieces hanging all over the place and don't take advantage of any of your opponents mistakes. Its like walking blind into moving traffic without any guidance whatsoever. Find some educational content on youtube for beginners to help you get off the ground. After you spend considerable time on the basics, like mating patterns, hanging pieces, strong/weak squares, solid structures then take another look at the analysis. Even for me, that I'm closer to 2000 rating, I find analysis for this game useless due to the insane amount of errors. Learn some of the basics first and only then analyze the games with computer assistance. Otherwise, get a coach that can walk through some of the basics. 

I have no idea what half of those terms mean but thanks anyway.

So I think the analysis tool can be very helpful. Focus on moves it considers “blunders.” You’ll likely mostly blunder by moving a piece so it can be immediately taken without any opportunity to take something of similar value back. Look at those moves carefully and consider what you might have done instead that didn’t hang a piece. The “best” move recommended by the computer might be a place to start, but there are likely other acceptable choices. Also, look at the plot of game score and focus on mistakes that took you from winning to losing, or from losing a little to losing a lot. Those usually (especially at low levels) won’t be subtle errors, they’ll be throwing something like throwing away a queen or rook.

As for how to avoid such mistakes, take the time to look! Playing blitz or against the computer, it can be tempting to move before you have had time to consider threats. Don’t do that.

Good luck! With practice, it does get better. :)

“Hanging” a piece means moving it to a place where it can be captured for free (or cheap) by the other player.

That's exactly why you should study the basics before using computer analysis. I'm under the impression that you want to improve since you took the time to make this post so go out there and learn. Good luck! 

At your level it will be difficult to analyse your own games. If you feel like you want to improve, it's good to know you don't need to bother with analysis just yet. Right now, it's more important to win your opponent's pieces when you have the chance and to not lose your own pieces if there is no reason for it. Learning about chess tactics will help make it easier and easier to spot those moments where you could win a piece or could avoid losing one. 

If you do want to analyse, I'd suggest you only look at moves where you could have won a piece or where you lost a piece in 1 or 2 moves. Try and understand how and why you could have won a piece and/or try and understand how you could have avoided losing a piece. Every other suggestion the computer makes, you can ignore. Computers aren't great tools to teach chess. We humans think in ideas ("rooks belong on an open file!") but computers think only about this specific position. If you look too much at your computer for guidance, you might end up learning wrong things (that actually do work in that specific position) or you might not understand why a certain move is good in one position but bad in the other and get frustrated by it. I know I would be at least!

At the beginner level, the analysis will mainly be checking for blunders. When some big shift in the evaluation happens, try to figure out why. Sometimes it will be obvious - for instance you hung a rook. Sometimes it might be a 2-3 move sequence that leads to a loss of material or something similar. 

Analysis like this goes hand in hand with learning the basics. As you learn, you will understand more and more in the analysis. If you get something new out of the game you've played, it is already an improvement. Bear in mind that all of this will take some time, and effort. Without studying about chess, analysis will not get you far. It works as a kind of a synergy. 

For instance you learn that bishops tend to be more valuable than knights in open positions and then you play a game and your opponent exchange his strong bishop for your passive knight. You see some shift in the analysis and you might understand why. Or you allow your opponent to ruin your pawn structure around your king. Then you understand evaluation shift because of it. And so on...

And , if you wish to improve, it is better to play longer games with humans.

Based on that game, you should check the lessons on this site, starting with "New to chess - how to play".

https://www.chess.com/lessons

 

I'm a little offended, since I've been trying to incorporate those lessons whenever I can. On a weekly basis, of course. I am a true beginner; I only know how pieces move and not the nuances of whatever chess skills there are.

 

I only wish. 

I'm not keen on playing with actual people until I'm confident that I've got the hang of playing chess with an actual brain. Jokes aside, the last few vs. Human games I played resulted in horrible losses or resigns. I'm not aiming for that right now.

 

Couple thoughts on this:

First is that ALL your games against humans have been 5 minute games.  I'm rated in the mid-800s for rapid but my blitz rating is like 350 because that's just too little time for a relative beginner to think about one's moves!  Ideally, when you do play against humans, you should start with games that are at least 30 minute time controls, and try to really use that time to consider your moves (particularly not giving away pieces.)

Second:  The matchmaking system is pretty good.  If you can make it through your first five or six games in "rapid," (which includes the 30-minute and longer time controls) then you'll quickly get to the point where you're able to win 50% of your games.  Doesn't matter how much of a beginner you are, there will be someone playing against whom the site can reasonably match you.

I have to say, I actually find playing against people on the site easier than the computer.  The computer's fast pace makes me feel like I have to keep my pace up too, and even the low-rated bots make a weird mix of decent moves and blunders.  It's definitely possible to feel the difference.

 

bro you commit so many obvious mistakes that when yoo will get evaluations where you missed a big chance or commited a big blunder, try to figure out why and in most cases it eill be something simple

Without human vs human play it is tough to progress. You lost horribly? Yup, sounds about right, it will happen on every level. You will throw away won games, you will stalemate the opponent in a won position, you will do all kinds of bad things and you might feel terrible from time to time. Even on master level. That is just how it is. But it will be rewarding most of the time, if you like the game. There will be more nice moments than bad ones.

Trust me on this, playing bots can be a nice distraction from time to time, but nothing can compare with playing with humans. It is rewarding, sometimes even if you lose (but you play ok for the most part).


So if you are waiting to be "ready", you will never be ready. I did play against bots when I started out... I played 3 games and decided to play humans. Playing bots is boring compared to regular games. You'll see for yourself if you decide to play with humans.

In any case, if you have the time, check this out. This is what I did:

https://www.chess.com/blog/nklristic/the-beginners-tale-first-steps-to-chess-improvement

What obvious mistakes? Whatever you saw instantly, I won't see until after.

 

Fine, I guess I'll do vs. Humans soon. 

Cool, best of luck.

 

I lost.

First of all , 10 minutes per side is still probably too fast. 15I10 should be minimum. Your biggest problem is just hanging pieces. Try to play slowly and make sure that your pieces are safe. It will take you a few weeks to keep blunders in check. We have all come through that phase.

@nklristic is right. Dont wait to be 'ready' for playing people. Accept that you will lose a lot of games - chess requires resiliance because the feedback is so quick and brutal 😁. Chess improvement is a journey with two steps forward and one step backward, it's just the learning process. Many people experience it for the first time when they learn to drive. Its not quite the same at school, where most people experience consistent improvement rather than cycles of improvement and decline. If you play rated games against people, the system will determine your rating after a couple of games and match you against similar players. Then you can expect to win/lose half your games. You'll win more as you improve. As for analysis, just look at themes rather than moves, but your analysis is only as good as your knowledge. The first theme you'll spot is 'Undefended Pieces', where your opponent attacks and captures a piece but you cant capture back because you weren't defending it. Your opponent then gets a material advantage (more pieces than you) and uses this to win the game. The first basic skills beginners need to learn are calculation, visualisation, and evaluation (yes there is much more to chess than pushing wood). This is the ability to think through a sequence of moves in your head before they appear on the board. Most beginners dont see that their pieces are being attacked because these skills are weak. They can be strengthen by regularly solving puzzles (appropriate for beginners).