I always gain the advantage, but never win

Hello. This is my first post on the site, but have been playing on here for a few years. I am looking for advice on how to improve my game. I run analysis on every game I play, and regardless of whether I am white or black, or even what my accuracy % is, I always seem to gain an advantage within the first third or so of the game. And I don't mean a pawn or less...I mean a few pawns at least, if not a piece. I credit this to my opening study, which is probably a bit above-average for my rating level. But I cannot seem to convert this advantage into a win. 

Now, I realize that this is a common issue, and the obvious answer is to 1. stop blundering 2. study more tactics 3. study more mid/end game. I already study on chessable (admittedly, mostly opening theory), play tactics trainer, and am studying My System by Nimzo. All of these things help, but I feel like maybe there is some idea that I am missing because it seems to me that no matter what my advantage (unless it's huge), all my opponent needs to do is hang tight and I'm sure to lose it. How can this happen 95% of the time in losing games? It's maddening. It would almost feel better to be beaten squarely, but that almost never happens. It is almost always a throwaway game. But if I was able to convert my advantage that I seem to get every time, I feel like my rating would shoot up rapidly! 

I realize that my question is pretty loaded, so I appreciate any advice whether it's general, or can direct me to a source of education that can improve my issue. Thanks! 

My first thought is you need to post an example game.

Second thought is Heisman's lecture about "hope chess" which is a horrible name because it seems everyone misinterprets it to mean something Heisman wasn't talking about.

Basically you need good calculation habits, and this means looking for forcing moves. The three types of forcing moves are checks, captures, and threats. Once you have an intended move in mind, you need to calculate these. Find the biggest reason to hate your intended move. The most annoying or scary reply from your opponent... and if you still like your move only then should you play it. Even beginners check some of their moves, but your goal is to check 100% of your moves in 100% of your games.

By the way, "hope chess" as Heisman uses it, means to play a move and hope it's not a game losing blunder. When you don't check whether your opponent has a strong reply (among all of the possible checks, captures, and threats) then you're hoping your move doesn't immediately lose.

I was hesitant to post an example game because I didn't want to get pinned as having only the specific flaw committed in that game. My gut tells me that it is a broader problem than simply hanging pieces, or too many inaccuracies. Your comments about "hope chess" resonated with me, and I will definitely check out the lecture you mentioned. Even as I was posting this, I had a sense that I both know what the problem is, but dont know what the problem is. Maybe it really does boil down to being more careful. One idea I had is to try to push my average move time upwards. I usually average in the 20's, but considering that I am playing 30-minute games, I could definitely stand to take more time considering prophylaxis, checking for hanging pieces, double-checking, etc.      

Looking at a few or your recent games (wins and losses) I get the impression that I happened to give the right advice.

From my point of view you have a very fearless playing style, willing to ignore your opponent's threats to press your attack. This can lead to a big initiative, but when your opponent's counter punches hit, they hit really hard.

There's some quote, I can't quite remember it, along the lines of "the essence of winning a won game is eliminating your opponent's counterplay"

When you're far ahead, challenge yourself to look at the position from your opponent's point of view. Find out how he can attack, and then shut that down. This doesn't have to be purely defensive. Sometimes you can identify a strong attacking piece, like a knight or rook near your king, and so your main plan is to trade off his attacking piece, or chase it away.

Your attacks will hit a lot harder when you attack from a position of strength. IMO you just need a little more patience, and to practice seeing the position from your opponent's point of view (what are his checks and captures and annoying tactical tricks).

Even world class attackers will take some time out from their attack to make a few defensive moves.

It always blew my mind when someone like Kasparov would sacrifice a piece near the enemy king, and then in the middle of the onslaught he'd play something like h3 to protect his king from back rank mate ideas that wont appear for another 6 moves

+1 I had a similar problem months ago too. I overcame it by further (with time) developing my intuition and "tactical sense." In a similar vibe to Fischer, once you build an advantageous position, then tactics will become available. Once you have the advantage, the problem becomes how to best proceed from there and this can only really be gained from practice/experience. I found this particularly frustrating because usually my advantage transforms into an attack, sometimes rolls from tactic to tactic, sometimes even takes the form of some positional crush; the problem is not knowing how the game should unfold for my best advantage (and many times the best continuation is not at all easy to find like the "6 moves later" concept in post #5). It sounds silly to just say "practice" - but I'd recommend so while keeping in mind how the game could transform into something better for you. I hope this is perceived as helpful, rather than cliche. 

Pattern recognition is much more than just memorizing tactical combinations and checkmates; it is difficult to describe, but one will "sense" the next best step with keen practice. Essentially, when you review an analysis: search for the "best" sequence and note what action it takes (checkmate threat, slow positional idea, tactical sequence etc.) and try to think through what about this position might hint at such action. Through trial and error, you will begin to sense these "hints" in the position that indicate what you should do to proceed next.

I looked through several of your most recent games and you seem to have lost most of them through blunders. It’s great that you’re studying the opening and My System to learn some of the finer positional intricacies of the game, but any advantage you’ve been building up throughout the game may as well be for nothing if you make a single game-changing error. 

I noticed that you’ve been playing longer time controls, which is good. I would suggest that you could use some of this time to do a quick “blunder check”(look for hanging pieces, simple 1-2 move tactics, etc.). I would avoid moving instantly, no matter how obvious the move looks. I find that most blunders I make result from this habit.

You can also invest some time to try to understand the point of each move your opponent is making. I find this particularly helpful to avoid falling into traps an opponent sets.

One last general tip I find useful is to simply trade down when I have a material advantage. At your(and my)level, you can win just by playing sensibly and waiting for your opponent to mess up so you can capitalize on it, and then trade down to an easily winnable endgame.

Do these in addition to what the other people pointed out above and I have complete faith that you can eliminate these issues you are having in your game.

Good luck!

Nice post EnragedSanta; this response is much more eloquent than mine. Pattern recognition (which I touched on) is a tough subject to write about, but you are correct that a simple "blunder-check" can help a lot too. Especially OTB games, literally "sitting on you hands" helps a lot too. Similarly, the act of moving your hands, before making a move should remind you to do this simple double checking scan for simple blunders; sometimes even I catch myself about to make a game-losing blunder before I move; I suspect even GMs occasionally experience this too (but I bet most will be hesitant to admit it). GMs are human too and they also make mistakes (or in this case, catch themselves just before making one). Of course, a "blunder" for a GM is probably only a "mistake" or "inaccuracy" for us, but the point stands that even the cool, calculating chess players are not infallible. 

Wow, thanks everyone for the helpful posts! I guess I am an awkward place in my chess development in the sense that I am studying these "higher concepts" and feel levels above my opponent (perhaps incorrectly, but nevertheless...) but yes, will make a dumb move and lose the whole advantage that I worked for. The other points made resonated with me as well, and I especially thank anyone who took the time to review some of my games!

OP, how are you right now? Success?

I disagree somewhat with your assessment.

Looking at your most recent games, many don't fit your pattern:

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5688278609 -- you never had the advantage, or rather you did but you didn't realize it

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5688380380 -- your opponent was up a piece. you did have a very strong attack, but it had to be executed perfectly

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5681731778 -- you didn't have the advantage, and you didn't see the bishop attacking the queen

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5672511104 -- you never had the advantage

Some do fit that pattern:

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5688278609 -- you were up one piece vs two pawns but didn't see the queen attacking the knight

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5678076003 -- you were up the exchange and a pawn, but you used your rooks poorly

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/5671681996 -- you were up four pawns and a piece, but moved your queen in front of a rook

Certainly there are not a few instances -- whether you were winning or not -- where one-move blunders lost the game.

It's very much a mental thing, slowing down being careful, checking all the angles each move, because things change.

Thanks to the above assessments of my games! I really appreciate the input!

For those wondering, I think I have improved since then. I took a long break, and when I came back I realized a few things.

1. I was playing way too many games, and I think I was playing in a semi-exhausted state, yet expecting the same results as if I was at full capacity.

2. I was not playing defensively enough. Was trying to mate too early.

3. I needed to learn some better end-game skills and concepts (ie rook usage)

4. I needed to take more time for my moves

5. I learned an interesting lesson....that even if you have a 3-5+pt. advantage, it doesnt mean you are a sure win AT ALL. At least at the level I am in currently. I have seen so many graphs where the opponent was down 3-5+ pts. and hung in there for many many moves until I blundered and it all turned around. I was getting so used to having an advantage that I would almost give up (or actually give up) if I was down a piece or two. If the opponent can come back so many times, why can't I? I need to learn better emotional control.

Always a pleasure to find your posts around the website

An advantage isn't a win, but rather an op stalemate.

"The hardest game to win is a won game" - Lasker

Now that's the truth!