5 minute chess is ruining my game?

As all those who have read my profile already know, I've only learned the game a little over 9 months ago. And in those nine months I've seen a decent increase in my ratings playing almost exclusively 10 to 15 minutes per side. But a few weeks ago I stumbled across a group of gentlemen in the park that meet up every weekday at a certain time at the local park and they only play 5 minute games. Just by observing the games and the strength of each player I can already tell they are stronger than I am so when they ask if I'd like to play I respectfully decline and let them know that I'm not ready for 5 minutes per side especially 5 minute games against players of their calibur.

In order to try to get to that level I've been playing 5 minute games on chess.com recently with horrible results. Although I've gotten myself in winning positions in most of my games I've managed to squander my advantages with ridiculous blunders and giving pieces away along with the game. Is it because i'm still too green and need more overall chess experience before I step up to become a formidable 5 minute player or is it because I've simply not played enough 5 minute games? I'm a little conflicted by this and wondering if anybody has a few tips.

And another thing, I really wanna take one of these guys out but I also don't know how much damage if any I'm doing to my overall game by playing 5 minute chess and such an early stage of my chess playing.

In terms of damage, 5 minute chess can spoil your appetite for the harder work of longer time-controls, but I don't think it actually damages anything. Mostly it's a (fun) waste of time -- you don't learn chess playing 5 minute IMO -- some people disagree with me, but I don't think you even get better at blitz, by playing blitz, (you get better at clock management... but you don't actually learn to make better moves.) You might memorize a few openings that way, but that's about it. I think blitz is where you show off how good the vision and instincts you've developed via slow OTB chess and study really are. Generally, strong long time control players play strong blitz chess. ( CC players are a different animal IMO... although CC is good training IMO.) By the way... those 10 and 15 minute time controls you play are blitz -- 30 minutes is considered "rapid" -- a good real chess game is supposed to take a couple of hours.

My bottom line: play blitz for fun... if you want to improve, play long time controls against strong players, and study study study.

What JG27Pyth said.

Strongly disagree.

More chess more mess

I don't wanna go back and forth about "real chess" vs blitz and any other type of chess. I just wanna be good enough to get a few wins off of the guys in the park who play 5 minute games.

Then go to the park and play them. It's the surest way to defeat & improvement

This is precisely why I quit five minute games.  The truncated analysis required for such a short time control was spilling into my longer games where I had more time but wasn't using it effectively.

Turn based only for me.

Study study play study play study study play in that order. Seriously, play them and see how you do... if they tear you up... the way to improve is not IMHO through lots of blitz... it's through study and serious chess. Give that a year and try them again next year. 

You get better by playing long time control games. On the internet, I'd say 15 mins per side. Only when you'll be reasonable good at tactics, when you'll make the opening moves almost instantly and you'll know the basic endgames like king versus pawn so well that you could premove them, then you can be sure you have improved your blitz skills considerably.

I'd say that your results at blitz and standard are quite reasonable for someone who has only played chess for nine months. Don't see anything to worry about. 

There was this older gentleman that was mumbling under his breath about not letting me play and take a turn away from the others cause he thought I was some type of slouch that only had 8 months experience and was a complete scrub. Next time I go there I wanna wipe the floor with him. I'm proabaly better now than he was when he had 8 years experience. The dude lit a fire under me and I'm determined to go there and prove him wrong. If my 5 minute rating is 1200 then there's is in the 14 and 1500's so it really shouldn't take long before I make that old dude eat his words.

In blitz and especially bullet, you can succeed with tactics that would never work in a standard game. Longer time controls give your opponent a chance to see any holes in your plan, while short games are not as subtle and you can get away with unsound tactics. If you play only short games you may get used to playing such risky moves and forget to check your strategy rigorously before you play it, leaving yourself open to punishment.

A few blitz games every now and then won't hurt, as long as you keep playing standard.

don't play blitz and short games, play standard time like 15 min 30 min or online chess. 

In blitz, play fast, original, and attack -

That being said, strong blitz players are either strong OTB players, or only strong blitz players - choose your side

I prefer 15 minutes a side, I do well with those time controls. I'm also playing correspondence chess to improve my long game. But my pride wants me to be good enough in 5 minute time controls to beat the doubter in the park that thinks I'm a patzer thats unworthy of playing at the big boy table.

Sound like you need to study some tactics.  Imporve your tactical vision and winning those blitz games will be easy, as you won't even think when you make the winning move.

americans

I just read a column Dan Heisman wrote on this subject: http://www.chesscafe.com/heisman/heisman.htm

In our local club when someone sits down with me for a 5-min game and it becomes evident he/she isn't ready for blitz, I suggest we move to 15-min with stops to discuss critical errors and themes. I think speed play is an important tournament skill for when you find yourself in time trouble, but it's of no value when trying to improve understanding of the game.