What is the best training for beginners (1400 - 1500)

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ofdcamps

Hi people! 

What is the best training to pass the 1400 barrier?

Should i spend my time just on tactics?

The last 3 months i was focusing on endings and solving puzzles... But i think i need to train others things to really improve in the game.

Before, i used to play the english (C4), but 3 weeks  ago i realized that it was a very hard opening, and i was just memorizing moves... So right now i just keep it simple and play E4!

So, if you have any advices, i would appreciate it!!

corum

You already are past the 1400 barrier so surely you can answer this question. What worked for you?

ofdcamps
corum wrote:

You already are past the 1400 barrier so surely you can answer this question. What worked for you?

Actually im stuck in 1400-1500, and dont know what i need to do to pass this barrier... I was thinking that maybe there is something specific that i should focus more.

RussBell

Good Positional Chess, Planning & Strategy Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-positional-chess-planning-strategy

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

michaeltakhell

I guess you are referring to the blitz rating here as your stats shows no bullet games played by you. I am not that strong but still I have moved past 1500 (now playing in 1700-1800 range) and I'm going to share what I did (may or may not work for you). I did not concentrate much on openings. Just the fundamental concepts of opening and 1.e4 as white. Right now I'm playing d4 (have tried it for a week) and it seems quite complicated (English opening c4 should not be a thing to consider if you are a beginner). Then I solved a lot of tactics daily 5 here and a lot on other websites (cannot mention the names here). Read some concepts of middlegame but could not understand or utilize  them fully. Then Endgame study helped me a lot. When I had not many ideas about middlegame and strategy, my only plan was to convert the game to the endgames I was comfortable with. You may try these things and see if it helps you . Good luck!

ofdcamps
RussBell wrote:

Nice article!

ofdcamps
michaeltakhell wrote:

I guess you are referring to the blitz rating here as your stats shows no bullet games played by you. I am not that strong but still I have moved past 1500 (now playing in 1700-1800 range) and I'm going to share what I did (may or may not work for you). I did not concentrate much on openings. Just the fundamental concepts of opening and 1.e4 as white. Right now I'm playing d4 (have tried it for a week) and it seems quite complicated (English opening c4 should not be a thing to consider if you are a beginner). Then I solved a lot of tactics daily 5 here and a lot on other websites (cannot mention the names here). Read some concepts of middlegame but could not understand or utilize  them fully. Then Endgame study helped me a lot. When I had not many ideas about middlegame and strategy, my only plan was to convert the game to the endgames I was comfortable with. You may try these things and see if it helps you . Good luck!

Thanks for the advices!

So I will stop focusing on openings, and study Tactics, endings, and little bit of middlegames.

KeSetoKaiba

By 1500 on chess.com, I would expect that the player is fairly well-rounded. Obviously not expert in any one area, but at least aware of all stages of the game and some finer points here and there. What have you not looked into much? For example, if all you've studied so far are tactics and attacking motifs, then try learning/refining endgames more. What if you have endgames down well? Then study some openings more closely etc. 

Deep opening knowledge (key word being "deep") probably doesn't come until around 1800-2000 level I'd say (and even some 2000+ admit they don't know openings well), but this doesn't mean that they are 100% clueless in openings either. At 1400/1500 level, I'd start glancing at openings if not already. Nothing 20 or 30 book moves deep, but at least a general idea of each sides thematic structures and plans; even if only 4 or 5 moves deep - it is more important to grasp concepts than memorizing moves. 

In short, I'd look a bit more into what you haven't yet. Circa 1500, this is usually positional ideas and/or openings - but it could really be anything because everyone learns differently.

ofdcamps
KeSetoKaiba wrote:

By 1500 on chess.com, I would expect that the player is fairly well-rounded. Obviously not expert in any one area, but at least aware of all stages of the game and some finer points here and there. What have you not looked into much? For example, if all you've studied so far are tactics and attacking motifs, then try learning/refining endgames more. What if you have endgames down well? Then study some openings more closely etc. 

Deep opening knowledge (key word being "deep") probably doesn't come until around 1800-2000 level I'd say (and even some 2000+ admit they don't know openings well), but this doesn't mean that they are 100% clueless in openings either. At 1400/1500 level, I'd start glancing at openings if not already. Nothing 20 or 30 book moves deep, but at least a general idea of each sides thematic structures and plans; even if only 4 or 5 moves deep - it is more important to grasp concepts than memorizing moves. 

In short, I'd look a bit more into what you haven't yet. Circa 1500, this is usually positional ideas and/or openings - but it could really be anything because everyone learns differently.

 

Well, for me the hardest thing is the middlegame. Sometimes I just dont know how to take profit of small advantages... And sometimes I have dificulty to find a good plan. Actually thats why I prefer to play as black, because I just have to prevent my oponents ideas and wait for a mistake. 

nklristic

You are a bit better than me, but I am still getting better doing things from this post, so maybe you will find some use for it (at least youtube channels are relevant for you):

https://www.chess.com/blog/nklristic/the-beginners-tale-first-steps-to-chess-improvement

Woollysock
I would hardly call 1400-1500 beginners 🤷‍♂️
nklristic

Correct, but I still have a use for those tips, especially youtube channels, they still help me improve. For instance he can find a playlist I mentioned based on opening lines and get to know them a bit better, or just watch some standard videos of a very strong player to get some positional ideas etc.

KeSetoKaiba
K1ng2dum wrote:

the only thing thats helped me go from 900 to 1560 is practice. ive played probably 30,000 games in the last 3 years...

That is a LOT of games. Sounds like most of that is bullet chess on another site. I don't know if there is even enough time to feasibly play this many games under anything of longer time controls (which is preferred when learning and focusing on improvement).

I agree with the practice though: lots of game experience helps, but it also comes down to quality over quantity. I reached 1500 chess.com rating completely on my own. I don't think I got any chess books until after that and I certainly didn't have a chess coach or parent guiding me to 1500 (Ironically funny because most of my family are all Checkers champions, but I was the only one who got into Chess lol). 

After 1500, I was fortunate enough to find a local chess club I liked, chess friends to help me out with post-game analysis and even a chess coach at one point. Everything comes in steps though. Now I am a chess writer, USCF member around 1800 and just reached 1900+ a few days ago on chess.com happy.png  Who would have figured? Not me years ago at least. Four years ago, I didn't even know rated chess tournaments or grandmasters existed! I just thought chess was a board game - no idea competition could be so great for it.

mockingbird998

https://chessmood.com/blog/the-myth-about-chess-tactics-and-solving-chess-puzzles 

https://chessmood.com/blog/golden-method-to-increase-rating-in-chess I want to recommend you read these articles and all articles from chessmood will be so useful for you

StormCentre3

Dump the puzzles.

Say what?

Solve puzzles and become a good puzzle solver. All this hype about puzzles/tactics is a very recent phenomenon. One in fact not so long ago was actually discouraged.

Puzzles are great - taken in context. As a learning tool to be used like everything else. What works best for you.

 

StormCentre3

Just saw the article mockingbird. Very true about the myth that’s been generated. 
The history of puzzle rush I’m very familiar with. In fact suggestions of mine led to it’s creation ! 
An interesting history of  how solving puzzles “on the clock” began. 

mockingbird998
BadBishopJones3 wrote:

Just saw the article mockingbird. Very true about the myth that’s been generated. 
The history of puzzle rush I’m very familiar with. In fact suggestions of mine led to it’s creation ! 
An interesting history of  how solving puzzles “on the clock” began. 

Did you like the article?

 

StormCentre3

My critique-

The article started out being excellent/ on point and ended likewise. 
The middle section which took up most of the space was far too drawn out and not directly relevant. Perhaps should be a separate piece. 
Your insight is good- the best ones share a minimum of words to convey the original idea.

Puzzle solving has become the lazy coaches methodology -  to new players detriment.

A separate story is its recent history as a promotional “gimmick”. It’s origins you only scratched the surface.