I do not seem to improve
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yyoochess wrote:
The thing holding most people back at that level is inattentiveness to their opponents' tactics. Look for the other's guys tactics as well as yours. If you find a good move, find a better move. Look at all checks, captures and threats...for both sides. These are all ways of saying...be more careful.
If you've been playing a lot of bullet or blitz, play longer games so you have the time to exercise care.
Finally, continually drill yourself on tactics so you can commit them to long-term memory and can instantly recognize them over the board. As I've said elsewhere, I recommend doing the same sets of tactics over and over again. The repetition really helps with pattern recognition.
can't be that simple
yyoochess wrote:
The thing holding most people back at that level is inattentiveness to their opponents' tactics. Look for the other's guys tactics as well as yours. If you find a good move, find a better move. Look at all checks, captures and threats...for both sides. These are all ways of saying...be more careful.
If you've been playing a lot of bullet or blitz, play longer games so you have the time to exercise care.
Finally, continually drill yourself on tactics so you can commit them to long-term memory and can instantly recognize them over the board. As I've said elsewhere, I recommend doing the same sets of tactics over and over again. The repetition really helps with pattern recognition.
Yeah but what's the point when there are infinite amount of games?
Dec 3, 2014
0
#25
Riv4L wrote:
yyoochess wrote:
The thing holding most people back at that level is inattentiveness to their opponents' tactics. Look for the other's guys tactics as well as yours. If you find a good move, find a better move. Look at all checks, captures and threats...for both sides. These are all ways of saying...be more careful.
If you've been playing a lot of bullet or blitz, play longer games so you have the time to exercise care.
Finally, continually drill yourself on tactics so you can commit them to long-term memory and can instantly recognize them over the board. As I've said elsewhere, I recommend doing the same sets of tactics over and over again. The repetition really helps with pattern recognition.
can't be that simple
It really is that simple. However, it's easier said than done. Old and bad habits die hard. You need to look for your opponent's tactics on EVERY move for example. Not doing so on one or two moves can lose you the game.
Also, you need to study tactics until you're sick of them. And you need to do so without moving pieces on a board and by calculating every important variation. Many people lack the mental discipline to do so.
Wilkes1949 wrote:
Study openings, two for white and two for black. Play other players that are better than you by at least 1000 point.
What the crap?
Dec 3, 2014
0
#27
Wilkes1949 wrote:
Simply playing chess will not necessarily improve your game if you don't do anything else. It's like learning to play any game. The more time and effort you put into it the better you become. Study openings, two for white and two for black. Learn them well enough to be comfortable playing them. Play other players that are better than you by at least 1000 point. use the tactics training on this site. It is very helpful. do an analysis of each of your games. Learn from your mistakes.
Play people better than you by a 100 points and not understand any of the moves? You would not learn anything from that.
gamesfan wrote:
For quite some time my rating was around 1250. I sometimes win and get up to 1300 or slightly more but eventually I fall down to around 1250.
Why do I not improve? Is there some level the player can reach after which he cannot improve anymore? Or is there some aspect that I need to focus on more?
Or is it just that I need to play more games?
What way would be the best to improve at my level?
Connect your rooks by move 10.
Learn tactics - but pay close attention how certain pieces interact with each other in a specific tactic. Once you get the idea, similar tactical problems will become easier.
Learn rook endgames and basic endgame strategy. In the endgame, there is a certain way to handle the pieces to maximize their power. And a lot of times, some principles that are followed in the opening and middlegame are reversed in the endgame.
Learn and follow the opening priciples:
1. Control the center - e4-d4-e5-d5. The most active part of the board is the center
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center - You control more squares - piece activity
3. Castle - King safety!!!
4. Connect your Rooks - Piece activity
Once you accomplish all of these ideas, you are in the middlegame.
I know a guy that is USCF 2000, and absolutely does not study openings at all. Even at his level, all he does is follow the opening principles.
As for whether gamesfan should learn a few openings, it may not hurt but it's not necessary. I got to 1500 before I learned any opening beyond the first four moves. My son is at 1600 knowing only a couple of lines of one opening and perhaps getting to play one of those lines in 1 out of 10 games.
Also, I think knowing too many openings at this stage may actually be detrimental. You need to learn to be flexible and play using basic opening principles. And you need to learn to think and be careful on every move. Just pounding out memorized lines can be counterproductive. You're moving fast, without thinking, and without really pondering opening principles. Once your thought processes and your knowledge and practice of opening principles are solid, then you can start memorizing a bunch of lines.