chess tutor software on chess.com?

Hey,

So I'm attempting to make my new years goal to improve my chess game.  I'm pretty bad right now.  Maybe an 800 player.  I used to have this software called chessmaster 9000 that had a "tutor" thing where it would give you advice move by move.  I've subscribed to the diamond level of chess.com because 1: it's cheap and 2: it has really really great reviews.  But does it have something like that where it will give me advice when I make moves?  

I've been doing the chess mentor thing, but what I really need is a lot of advice on opening the game up and how to advance my pieces.  I feel like a turn by turn type of advice would help me the most? 

Thanks for any help.  

Sunny

bump? 

I don't think there is an exact equivalent here but I'm not sure how valuable a feature it is anyway.  Awfully easy to get addicted to asking the computer for advice and throw up a massive roadblock to your own progress.  We learn by our mistakes, not by following some computer's advice.  All of that said there are plenty of videos here that review typical amateur games and the typical mistakes we make.  If you are trying to learn the typical plans in a variety of openings I'd recommend Danny Rensch's Live session videos, but there are plenty of other authors as well.  Silman has a great course on the Chess Mentor that addresses being "stuck" and not knowing what to do next.  In fact I think that's the title "What Next".  If you're only an 800 player though not dropping pieces is probably the best thing you can do to get better.  Hit GM Wolff's basic tactics courses on the Chess Mentor and then go test yourself on the Tactics Trainer.  There are so many different ways to get better at chess and luckily this site gifts its' premium members with great tools to get better.  Take a look at the study plans if you haven't already.   Make sure you go over your games and do a post mortem.  IM Pruess just did a couple of videos on how to analyze your games.  I could go on and on.... Good luck.

thanks a lot.  I appreciate it.  I'll take a look at the study plans and see what's up.

I've been doing the chess mentor.  Is there a category you'd recommend?  

The quickest way to improve your board vision is by practicing tactics, but it's hard to do tactics puzzles until you actually know what you're looking for.  That's why I recommended GM Wolff's tactics courses.  Learn forks and pins and skewers and basic checkmate patterns.  Don't just do a course once; review each lesson to get it up to 100%.  Come back to it in a week or 2 and see how much of it "stuck".  Don't be discouraged if it's a lot less than you had hoped.  Get the  lessons back up to 100% and try again a few weeks later.  Eventually you'll start to burn those basic patterns into your consciousness so that when you look at the board in a game the essential features of the position just jump out at you.  The tactics trainer is a great tool to test your board vision but it can be discouraging at a beginner level (and infuriatingly difficult at almost any level) so make sure you have the basic Chess Mentor  tactics courses down first so you'll have at least a fighting chance at it.   Away from the computer it's a good idea to have a tactics book to study; John Bain's Chess Tactics for Students is a great start.  Check out Coach Heisman's website (danheisman.com) for more advice on how to improve.  It's not an easy game, but that is part of its' charm.  Best of luck, and keep  playing.

I got "the amateur's mind" by Silman.  Is that a good book to start with?  I know the pieces, the moves, and can beat the computer at the 800 level, but I don't really have much of a starting plan other than "develop the pieces" and "try to control the center".  

Also it is good to find a coach/mentor. Even if not for lessons, find a higher rated player (if you are 800 i suggest at least 1500-1600 or higher) to give you advice along the way. Talk to them about how they got to their level, maybe play a couple of games with them so they can alert you to as your weaknessess as often it is hard for us to find where we are weakest

That's good advice.  Anyone read that "Amateur's mind" book? 

At 800 I think you need "deliberate practice".  I recommend you read http://www.chesscafe.com/text/real.pdf.  Then, *every day* for the next 6 months you do the following:

1.  Play over at least 20 new tactical puzzles.

2.  Play over at least 2 master chess games.

There are many ways to do that, but you can use the free software http://www.chess.com/download/view/guess-the-move

and 

http://www.chess.com/download/view/yatt--yet-another-tactics-trainer

Kramnik recommends some practice every day.  This is much more effective than a haphazard study plan.  Make a concerted effort for at least 6 months and see where you end up.  Reading books is too passive.  You have to struggle; be engaged; give a couple of hours every day to your best efforts.

It makes sense to practice every day. Like any other hobby, the talent usually grows with the use of it.

Most good player that I have met, say: play play  and play not wary about opening , what you need to know about opening is just the principle,

I agree.

look for a chess club near by. great way to learn.

I am looking for a way to play teaching games to lower rated players (beginners and such) without the points being given/taken away or affected. Can I do this on Chess.com? and HOW?

Play unrated?

At your level, you need to know 4 things about the opening:

1. Control the center - this is why e4, and d4 are the best opening moves

2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center - piece activity

3. Castle - king safety

4. Connect your rooks - move your queen

its so weird to me since I learned chess by learning openings, and use it as the base of most of my studies since i was just starting. Learning openings makes visualizing concepts and principles much easier for some people, and it can not hurt your chess in the long run if you are learning not just memorizing

In my group (achja-chess) I play unrated training games against the lower-ranked players who want to improve their play.