How else to approach games apart from targeting F2/F7?

Put pieces in the center and trade pawns to open lines for them and attack weaknesses to win them or tie down opponents pieces to them

Thank you Marumax. But could you expand a little further places. Do you mean 'trade pawns' to open lines for other pawns? Or for other pieces? Or both?

And do you mean tie down other pieces by tying them to the defence of pawns? Thanks...... This is helpful Marqumax. And any other responses would be appreciated too.

well you need to spot weaknesses and try to attack those (other than of course opening fundamentals like developing pieces, castling, etc)

Play a minority attack on the Queen side or clear c file and put your heavy pieces on it and target that. Keep the game closed do not trade pieces especially the knights if you can avoid it then look to  control more space and push your opponents' pieces back to his first two ranks and make him so cramped he cannot play or anything he plays is a bad move are just a few you could try. 

I rarely target f2 or f7 early unless of course opportunity arises, I also try to avoid exchanges and keep my pieces on the board to keep attacking potential where I can find a weakness.

If you’re 760 your biggest challenge to overcome will be blunders/hanging pieces. Strategy (while still worth thinking about) is not going to be a huge game-changer. 

Just get your pieces out to decent squares, get your king safe and focus on piece safety and threats.

Get your pieces out and play to control the center.

General Ideas.

1. Stop playing blitz, and bullet.  Play longer time controls of at least G45, or longer.  
2. Follow Opening Principles:

• Control the center.
• Develop minor pieces toward the center.
• Castle.
• Connect your rooks.

1. Study tactics...tactics...tactics.  One of my favorite quotes is this: "Until you reach Master, your first name is tactics, your middle name is tactics, and your last name is tactics”.
2. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
3. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
4. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
5. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
6. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

1. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

1. Have Fun!

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

These are fantastic suggestions. Thank you so much everyone. Happily I don't make too many blunders these days. However, I did just make a blunder with a rook when I was in a strong position. Simply, I think as I am less practiced with rooks! So I will do some rook drills. Thank you IM bacon for your sound principles, very good.

Itsameea, thank you too. Dumb question I'm sure but what is a "minority attack"?

IM Bacon. Thank you! Just rereading your guidelines. Superb. I never play blitz or bullet. Only rapid 30. But maybe I should go longer. I nearly always lose anything shorter, whereas playing 30 minutes this week has resulted in me winning 18 out of 22! Hence climbing up - now - to 780, which is pleasing. You must be a great coach. And when you say "G45", does that mean a 45 minute game (each player gets 45 minutes)? There is still soooo much I don't know.......

When you have a pawn minority on a certain side and you push those pawns to create weaknesses in the structure and be able to exploit said weaknesses

Very common pawn structure. In this structure, white could launch a minority attack by pushing his a and b pawns to create a backwards pawn on c6. 

But it's a very advanced concept. You won't need to know how to use a minority attack until you're like 1600 or more

Thank you very much DaBabys. Really helpful. :)

Yep....G45 is 45 minutes for each player.

Thank you.

Another big thank you to you all for some clearly presented excellent ideas. I'm looking forward to my next game where I can do my best to apply these principles and ideas.

And, I now have another question! Is there a 'rule of thumb' for a player of my level (770 ish) for when to activate my King in the endgame (or the end stages of the middle game maybe?). I think I'm too passive with my King but I don't have a good sense of the right kind of time to start moving him and using him more actively. Any ideas? :)