How to improve Positional Chess

Apart from studying master games, what are some practical methods to improve positional chess?

Also, how can I complain about my account being hacked? I did not play a single standard game from two weeks or so and my rating dipped from 1567 to 1436! I am getting games in my archive that I NEVER played!

To improve at positional chess you have to learn how to think about positions and the values of those positions. Also don't let the chess world tell you how, figure it out yourself. Develop your own system of positional evaluation even if its only subconscious. 

You are hardly an advocate of positional chess. Learn first not to drop pieces. 

Thanks, anyway.

Take it one imbalance at a time.  However, start with My System from start to finish then for a couple of weeks work on a particular imbalance, such as weak color complexes, weak pawns, good bishop against a bad knight and vice versa, bishop without a counterpart, pawn centers, and most importantly prophylaxis.  Restraining pawn moves are the defining aspect of positional play, and even if such an opening is irresistible make such an opening to your advantage as much as viably possible.  

The second most important thing is a mobile pawn mass. If one pawn is further up the board it leaves behind a hole, which can act as a nice pivot square for the opponent.  

 In the Alekhine's defense black invites white to build a big center so he can rend it asunder.  The proper way for white to play is:

It is your choice whether to listen to me or not. Take care.

Actually I do have one instructive example from last night. This was a game I played versus James W. Wu. I will be analyzing the game from a positional perspective.

James Wu was about your rating. I am rated about 1100.

Hope you learn a lot from this!

When he says practical, he means practical for his rating. Since he's about 1400, I would say this is totally correct. Getting a teacher isn't so practical, but if you have one it really helps. 

I AM NOT 1400! I was 1578 in online chess and 1577 in Live Chess Standard when "SOMEONE" resigned all my e-chess games and lost atleast 10 live chess games. Didn't you see the first post? 

Yes Wu was your rating. But I say about 1400 because the difference between a 1578 and a 1400 is meaningless, as with most things regarding chess rating. But I will look at some of your games and tell you what rating you really play at. Is there a specific game you would like me to see? I want to see you at your best. 

So a theme I see in Wu's games I also see in yours. You struggle in openings, either creating too much counterplay or not enough. In one sicilian you played d5 at a totally innapropriate time(but your opponent failed to counter it), in a gioco piano you didn't play a necessary equalizing line and lost brutally. These can be solved rather easily by opening analysis. AND here is where you can put different positional plans to the test and understand the difference between tactics and position. To put it softly, your opening strategy is on a 1300 level, and is holding you back, where otherwise you are at least 1700 in terms of structural and understanding and piece placement. But your inability to gauge the strategic difference between two opening plans is the main problem in your play. I bet your endings are very good though, so at least you have that. You are also rather tenacious and that can only be a good thing. You desire to be better than you are also a good thing. Try to fix your openings problems with a chessboard and fool around with different ideas. Don't even think, just play different moves and see how they interact. Good luck.

Change your password so your sister can't play on your account. Good strategy, eh?

Its a pretty tough nut to crack. My sister surely does not play. 

Sorry for being so rude. I would like to thank you a lot. I think you were pretty accurate defining me. So I should focus more on the openings? Done.

One thing that puzzles me though, is although you sound like a 1800, your rating is much lower? Any factors that would justify it?

Here is my last game.

http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1258956704

You are a very good endgame player. Rather than work on getting advantages in the opening, why don't you create openings that contribute to your strengths. I am very good at making openings that contribute to my crazy style of play. You seem to like d4, so let me do some tinkering...

Maybe that's why she resigned.

I find this strange as well.

In my opinion beginner to intermediate level players (including me) should open with 1.e4 and aim for an open game with lots of complications. This will improve their calculation which is the main weakness of all players under 1800. They should put their pieces on active squares and start with general principles, not analyse deep lines of modern opening theory that they never get to use.

I have researched some openings and try to play the french defense.   This means I get to play my 1.e6 in almost every game as black because the majority plays 1.e4 as white, and I still almost never face anyone that knows theory past move four or five.

When I was 1200 all of my games consisted of one or both of the players making an idiotic mistake on move three or four. Then the game became a chaotic mess with both players attacking eachother and commiting tactical and strategical crimes on every other move, faffed around aimlessly with zero concern for important squares and tension. When the smoke cleared the player who blundered the least pieces won. I mean let's be honest, you will even regularly run into players who try to Scholar's Mate you.

Scholar's mate is absolutely prevented by the French Defense.