Title is self explanatory. I learned how to play at my schools chess club years ago, never thought it was that fun until recently and now I find myself questioning my sanity every time I open this app. I know I’m not stupid, and I love watching chess and studying it but for some reason when I play I cannot for the life of me not screw it up by making some catastrophic blunder. My puzzle rating is 1009, but for blitz and rapid my ratings are 236 and 316 respectively. Am I just doomed to walk this earth as a chess plebeian? Is there hope for people like myself or should I just give up. I understand chess is not for everybody but i get so overwhelmed by playing that I do not believe I will ever get any better unless there is some serious intervention. There has got to be a massive component I’m missing or misinterpreting in this 64 tiled nightmare of a game.
Why am I so god awful at chess?
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Sep 1, 2023
0
#2
Improving at chess can be quite challenging, but there are various ways to enhance your skills.
For those looking to improve without coaching, here's some valuable advice:
1. Play Frequently: The more you play, the better you'll become at recognizing patterns and making strategic decisions.
2. Analyze Your Games: Review your past games to identify mistakes and areas where you can improve. This self-analysis is a powerful learning tool.
3. Focus on Tactics: Tactics play a crucial role in chess. Spend time solving tactical puzzles and exercises to sharpen your tactical skills.
4. Learn from Masters: Studying grandmaster games can provide insights into advanced strategies and tactics.
Feel free to check out this article for more in-depth advice: https://www.gautamnarula.com/how-to-get-good-at-chess-fast
Additionally, I have a YouTube series where I share chess insights and strategies, which you might find helpful: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUrgfsyInqNa1S4i8DsGJwzx1Uhn2AqlT
Best of luck with your chess journey! If you'd like more personalized guidance or coaching, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions where we can dive deeper into your specific needs.
Sep 1, 2023
0
#3
Just blunder-checking before every move is important.
Try to look for all checks, all captures and all possible threats by your opponent before every move you make. Also try to do the same while you imagine the move you plan to play having been played already.
Also some opening principles might help. Some of the opening "rules" that you broke include:
Avoid unnecessary pawn moves.
Basically almost never move the f-pawn in the opening, because this weakens your King.
Don't bring your Queen out too early.
By breaking these rules you become easy to attack and that can lead to trouble fast.
Sep 1, 2023
0
#4
I've done some analysis of the game you posted and tried to provide as much detail as I can:
https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/32MRVPAMV8?tab=analysis&move=0
Some key takeaways as a TL;DR:
- In the early game, focus on getting your pieces out and controlling the centre of the board.
- Don't make "nothing-moves" where you move a piece that doesn't do actually do anything to help your position. If you cannot justify the move you want to make, you probably should not make it.
- Don't hang your pieces. Always look before you move the piece you want to move and make sure it cannot just be taken for free or unfairly exchanged.
Hope this helps!
سلام
خوبید
گل
Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
awfuls a two edge word. could mean good...or could mean bad 
like "awful good" pig ears
Some get to 1000 in a couple months. Some take years. It’s all relative. Don’t worry about rating. I don’t know the science behind why people start off at a higher rating than others, just know it’s best to just accept what rating you are and go from there. Countless people started in the same boat, and eventually gained rating points.
You have to understand that it is going to take at least 2-5 hours of practice a day till you start getting your feet wet with this stuff. It can be done with less time, just don’t expect great improvement if you don’t study more than an hour each day, and that is not including play time.
It’s a sacrifice. Usually adults cannot find the time or the drive to play chess because of other commitments. Understand this, chess is quite the undertaking. You do not have to play chess. That’s all I’m saying. You can be a hobby player or someone that wants to improve. If you choose hobby player, then your like me. Eventually you’ll get stuck at a rating and won’t be able to improve without deep study of the game. It’s okay to stay at the same rating. We all have our priorities. Chess improvement requires years of cultivating discipline to study when needed.
Some people don’t get better after studying 10 hours a day for months. Chess improvement is not linear. Don’t always expect to improve per unit time. It doesn’t work that way. Imagine digging for gold. Person a digs for 1 week and strikes it rich. Person b digs for 9 months and finds nothing, so he quits. What he didn’t know that untold richer where waiting for him with just a few more days of mining.
Nobody knows who will get better and who will stagnate. It’s not so much about age, it has more to do with perseverance. You just have to try, and chose to carry on, or quit. Nobody knows the answer. Just play.
These forums are littered with questions such as yours. Usually it’s because the person thinks they are stupid because they can’t even reach 1000 rating. I know people, that can beat me, but are below 1000 on chess.com.
You are the average joe smoe that makes a lot of blunders. I can say quite confidently that I played people below your rating, and no, those people aren’t stupid, they just don’t have the know how. Raw talent does come into play, but just because someone is better at chess doesn’t mean they are dumber than the other person. I know of someone, who is smarter than me, but, doesn’t play chess. Of course he has his own problems though, despite being smarter, and I have my own problems too.
We all have enate talents, and skills. I’m not naturally good at basketball, however, if I practiced the game, I will get better. Same thing with chess, it’s just that with chess you have people that either give up too soon, or learn chess the wrong way, or don’t improve after years. Nobody knows why this happens. It’s not because your stupid. Chess is a game that requires a lot of time, and dedication. It’s hard to be dedicated as an adult learning chess, because chances are, your never going to make any money with it. This is a male dominated game, and males are usually more interested in getting tail and wealth building, or get stuck in the rat race.
Play chess. Analyze your games once by yourself, then with a coach or stronger player. Ask around the forums for people to analyze your games. A lot of people are willing to help. No excuses.
Do tactics
Read a theory book
Go over annotated master games until you’ve gone over 10000. Start today!
Silmans endgame Manuel.
Get a coach if you can afford one.
You have to understand that it is going to take at least 2-5 hours of practice a day till you start getting your feet wet with this stuff. It can be done with less time, just don’t expect great improvement if you don’t study more than an hour each day, and that is not including play time.
It’s a sacrifice. Usually adults cannot find the time or the drive to play chess because of other commitments. Understand this, chess is quite the undertaking. You do not have to play chess. That’s all I’m saying. You can be a hobby player or someone that wants to improve. If you choose hobby player, then your like me. Eventually you’ll get stuck at a rating and won’t be able to improve without deep study of the game. It’s okay to stay at the same rating. We all have our priorities. Chess improvement requires years of cultivating discipline to study when needed.
Some people don’t get better after studying 10 hours a day for months. Chess improvement is not linear. Don’t always expect to improve per unit time. It doesn’t work that way. Imagine digging for gold. Person a digs for 1 week and strikes it rich. Person b digs for 9 months and finds nothing, so he quits. What he didn’t know that untold richer where waiting for him with just a few more days of mining.
Nobody knows who will get better and who will stagnate. It’s not so much about age, it has more to do with perseverance. You just have to try, and chose to carry on, or quit. Nobody knows the answer. Just play.
These forums are littered with questions such as yours. Usually it’s because the person thinks they are stupid because they can’t even reach 1000 rating. I know people, that can beat me, but are below 1000 on chess.com.
You are the average joe smoe that makes a lot of blunders. I can say quite confidently that I played people below your rating, and no, those people aren’t stupid, they just don’t have the know how. Raw talent does come into play, but just because someone is better at chess doesn’t mean they are dumber than the other person. I know of someone, who is smarter than me, but, doesn’t play chess. Of course he has his own problems though, despite being smarter, and I have my own problems too.
We all have enate talents, and skills. I’m not naturally good at basketball, however, if I practiced the game, I will get better. Same thing with chess, it’s just that with chess you have people that either give up too soon, or learn chess the wrong way, or don’t improve after years. Nobody knows why this happens. It’s not because your stupid. Chess is a game that requires a lot of time, and dedication. It’s hard to be dedicated as an adult learning chess, because chances are, your never going to make any money with it. This is a male dominated game, and males are usually more interested in getting tail and wealth building, or get stuck in the rat race.
Play chess. Analyze your games once by yourself, then with a coach or stronger player. Ask around the forums for people to analyze your games. A lot of people are willing to help. No excuses.
Do tactics
Read a theory book
Go over annotated master games until you’ve gone over 10000. Start today!
Silmans endgame Manuel.
Get a coach if you can afford one.
Jan 30, 2025
0
#12
I, and many others, would recommend that you don't do short time controls until you've already got quite a bit of skill under your belt. To get good, you need to be able to practice analyzing positions well and figuring out exactly what to do. And to do that, you need plenty of time to think.