Why do I make careless blunders so often?

Hi there. I recently started seriously playing chess, over the board and online, and learning about basic tactics and openings. My question is, why do I make such careless blunders so frequently in my play? This is most often seen in the form of letting an important piece hang without any other piece protecting it, or moving a piece to a place where my opponent can clearly take it with little repercussions. Obviously I try my best to concentrate on the game and I meticulously look at all of the possible losses I might make from any given move, sometimes too meticulously and losing time, but I still make these ridiculously trivial blunders. I feel like these blunders are the main thing holding my back at this point. Could this be caused by playing games later in the day? Obviously when I'm tired I can't concentrate as well. I also suffer from ADHD and my medication is not as effective toward the later hours of the day, all of which makes it seem much more complicit in this problem. Is this just a normal stage in chess progression, where no matter how vigilant you try to be, you can't catch everything? Thank you in advance.

Maybe creating some kind of system would help. Instead of randomly calculating moves looking for captures, you could do something like (if you were going to move to d5) trace the 5th rank and d file with your eyes all the way to the edge of the board. This will find rooks or queens that can attack it. Then do the diagonals, and finally the 8 square that are knight moves. That way you  can be sure d5 is 100% safe (or not).

You can also add another step. This is harder for new players, but you can also note all the squares your piece leaves undefended. It's not so hard most of the time. For example if you move a rook along the d file, then you're "undefending" the rank you moved from (you'll still control squares on the same file).

If you're really trying to make a safe move, then no, it's not normal to lose a piece immediately on your opponent's next move... of course we all miss tactics from time to time, but if it's "I didn't see you could move there" then no, that's bad

It’s hard to answer. You will be able to answer it better than anyone if you stay with chess. Over the years me and a few friends played chess at Starbucks off and on regularly. Occasionally we’d meet people who we invite to play and we played. Over the years different people came and went. Each person, has their own unique style, strengths, and weaknesses. I remember one person, was really good, but, he often made “silly” mistakes and lost a lot of games he could have won. I’m not exactly sure why this man was prone to this. It’s not like he was stupid. He was a doctor. That was just his weakness. He longed for a way to stop making those mistakes.

To be fair, I once was plagued by this same problem. How did I improve? I simply played a whole lot of games, against good, and bad, players. When I played the really strong player, all I hoped for was a good game, regardless of the outcome. When I played the guys I was neck at neck with, I hoped to have more wins. When I played bad players, I hoped to convert accordingly.

One of the guys I used to play never resigned. So I got quite good at converting under time pressure.

So, after playing a lot of games, I naturally started to blunder a lot less often. Don’t get me wrong. I recently played a blunder fest. Sometimes it happens, but only when you are caught off guard in the opening, and so you study it, so that next time you don’t make the same mistakes.

The ideal way to improve is to analyze your losses by yourself, writing down your thoughts behind the moves. Then, show that and the game to a stronger player, or a coach. I’m not sure is looking it over with the computer will be helpful at the beginner level. I heard about it causing more harm than good.

If you do not have the option of showing your game to a stronger player or coach, then you can skip post game analysis. There are other ways to improve, and I know it can be done without analysis.

There are ways to speed up the process with drilling tactics based on the games you recently played. You can train this way at aimchess.com

This is an incredibly flawed way of thinking for a number of reasons.  Firstly, 15/10 time controls are not the only way to improve your chess. In fact, they can be just as helpful as longer time controls, if not more so. The key is to focus on your own game and improvement, rather than on your opponent's time control.  Secondly, blunders happen in all time controls. It is not only 15/10 games where blunders happen. In fact, blunders can happen in any chess game, no matter the time control.  Thirdly, to say that blunders happen less in longer time controls is simply not true. Blunders can, and do, happen in all time controls.  Fourthly, to say that you need to relax in order to improve your chess is also flawed. Chess is a game of mental toughness and concentration. If you cannot handle the pressure of a 15/10 game, then you will not be able to handle the pressure of a 60 minute game.  Finally, to say that you need to have a plan of attack in order to improve your chess is also flawed. Many chess games are won by players who do not have a plan of attack, but rather by players who are able to adapt to the situation on the board and make the best moves possible.  In conclusion, the only way to improve your chess is to focus on your own game and improvement, rather than on your opponent's time control. Blunders can happen in any chess game, no matter the time control. To say that blunders happen less in longer time controls is simply not true. Chess is a game of mental toughness and concentration. If you cannot handle the pressure of a 15/10 game, then you will not be able to handle the pressure of a 60 minute game. Many chess games are won by players who do not have a plan of attack, but rather by players who are able to adapt to the situation on the board and make the best moves possible.

I dont know how long/ how many games you have been playing but for myself. I'm in my mid forties and only just started playing in 2023. Back in Spring and Summer I would hang pieces all the time. It drove me mad. I just couldn't see stuff. I don't have any real advice but after a while I hung less and less pieces. I just gradually started to get better. I'm not a good player but for sure I can feel the improvement. Keep playing 

Study the lessons available on chess.com and practice some puzzles. Read a couple of articles on opening principles and maybe watch some content on YouTube targeted at beginners.

But most important: play less games, so you can focus more and spend more time on your moves. 

I looked at two of your games (Game#1, Game#2). I don't think this community can help you answer the question why you move pieces into places where they can be taken. In these examples, only you can explain why you didn't see the threats to your Queen. I can tell you that you should have spent more time on each move. Way more. 

I recently wrote an article that might help you create some structure in your thought process. Hope that helps.

@1
"why do I make such careless blunders so frequently in my play?"
++ Because you play moves without first checking it is no blunder.

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I've been studying a lot but I don't really know how to find a better balance between studying and playing. My assumption would be that i should study a bit and play a bit to incorporate what I'm studying but it feels like I'm not studying enough when i don't know what I'm doing.

@10
"i should study a bit and play a bit to incorporate what I'm studying"
++ It is the other way around. You should play a bit and then study about what you did wrong.

Inevitably tygxc would turn up some point and spout his nonsense that you have to "just not blunder and you'll master the game in no time". If you want the truth, the only thing that works undisputably is experience. Play often, learn common patterns and try not to stop. You will see progress, but it will be painfully slow and you need lots of patience. A tip to add to that is to remove time pressure as much as possible. The concensus here is that Blitz and Bullet games do not help you improve, and while that's true because you need time to plan your moves, the really long time controls like 45 minutes don't add much benefit. Only increase the time to the point where time pressure is mostly removed so you can play without worrying about how long you have left.

Someone could help you? 

This is great advice! I would only add that you should lengthen your time control to 30 or even 60 minutes and fill your time with thinking. The more thinking you do the better, and when you've really thought about a move and then you look later to see the consequences of that move, and the consequences of alternative moves.....that's where learning happens. 

@6

You arrogantly claim that Sunny's logic is "incredibly flawed" and then you go about spewing your own opinions with nothing to back them up and without any logic of your own. Personally, I thought Sunny's post made a lot of sense....while remaining kind and relevant, and not arrogant. You provided nothing to support any of your rash claims......not to mention how off-putting the whole thing sounded. 

RemovedUsername333 is a troll. Also, his account was closed for cheating. (Yes, I know that there is a thread  where he claims to be a woman, but that is just pure trolling too.)

When I first started playing online chess I lost every game and often blundered. Chess is a skill and like any skill it improves with practice. Your vision of the chess board will enhance over time all you need to do is persevere. Nobody can remove them completely from their game so don't beat yourself up, even the pros do it.

Ok, can we change the discussion?

Blunder checks plus longer time control certainly help. But sometimes we just miscalculate. Even super GMs blunder every now and then. It is a skill we need to practice by playing more. It is not a leak that you can plug once and be good.

My friend you started playing this game, what a few months ago? Or at least your Account here was created last month! Play for at least six months, or a year, and if you are taking it seriously the entire time, you should gain rating, and stop blundering often.

Practice.

You need to see the board more, watch more tactics unfold.

Practice.

You need to puzzle rush out 500 back rank mates, pick up 200 hanging pieces, checkmate in one 1,000 times.

Practice.

If you do not have the patience to slowly get better, chess is not the game for you. It has taken me 2 years to get 1500. Without experience on the board, you do not improve. 

I play chess regularly and am more or less of an intermediate but still I face similar problems. The only way to solve this is to take your time on every move. It will be all right with practice.

And don't play blitz or bullet