Good book for constantly losing player

@OP : there are many examples of situations where you give material for free, without any tactics involved) (Bc4, b4, g2).

My question, and it's not meant to embarass you but just trying to give useful advice, is why do you think it happens ? Some possible answers :

• you don't value material that much over other positional considerations (like development in the initial phase of the game),
• you don't see that the material is left en prise - ie. you don't see that an enemy piece/pawn is attacking one of your units
• you don't check for your opponent's immediate attacks,
• you play very fast, and realize you have hanging material too late
• something else ?!

No embarrassment here. I think it is the latter. I think also I am not relaxed enough and tend to panic. I think I am weak psychologically too. I state again I know little of tactics really. I have read books on the basic moves but most of my education has been playing through games books like "Logical Chess" and "The Mammoth book of Chess Games".

I am used to mechanically following routine openings and I normally end up flat on my face. I played a game just now on FICS where I managed to avoid these problems and force a resignation but that happens all to rarely. I tried something different though and played a D4 opening rather than the e4 which made things a little bit more interesting.

Truth is I am groping in the dark. I do agree though with Smyslovchess (he got my measure well) that playing through games is the most enjoyable way to learn with good commentary. I have bought John Nunn's "Understanding Chess Move by Move" but the commentary is nowhere near as novice friendly as Chernev with its endless list of variations.

First step: Spend 20 minutes a day doing tactics. You can do it on your phone with Shredder (those are dead easy), online at chesstempo.com, or with a book. But spend at least 20 minutes a day doing tactics. Think of it as going for a jog in the morning, except you're exercising your chess muscles. 

Don't worry too much about where the advice you get is in conflict. What I think everyone is saying is that you must play chess regularly if you want to improve.

You need something basic.  You need to get the fundamentals right.  I suggest "the Thought Process of Chess" by Wahres as it gives you a flowchart to aid in your thinking.  Dan Heisman articles are also very helpful.

Then maybe just try playing slower (minimum 30' per game), and take the time to look at the threats after each of your opponent's moves ("what does he threaten to take right now ?"). If this and SmyslovFan's advice to do some tactics every day is not enough, then you probably need to work more on board vision. I would recommend then :

• chessgym 'attackers' exercises
• the Step program from the Dutch federation
• ...and why not, some relaxation exercises (breathing, Yoga), or some regular visit to the gym

Here are my tips to improve your thinking process to lessen blunders:

1. Always look/scan the whole board

If your opponent is thinking don't forget to scan the whole board.Before you make a move,don't forget to scan the whole board(checking the position of your pieces and opponent's pieces). Let say your opponent makes a move on the left side of the board, you have tendency to look only on the area where your opponent makes his move right? What if your opponent has a bishop on the corner right side?Since you are not looking at that side, you put your pieces on its capturing range. As a result you lost a piece. The moral of this?Always scan the whole board.

2. Before you make a move, check if there is a tactical drawback. Before you make a move, check in advance what your opponent might play.

For example, you are thinking to place your queen on a good square. Now if you don't check for tactical drawback(or what your opponent might move before you do yours) it can be costly. What if that square where you will put your queen is a blunder? Because after your opponent makes a bishop move your queen is pin against your king. If you check for tactical drawback before you make a move, blunder such as this can be avoided.

3. Always study your opponent's last move.
4. Don't play bullet games. Reserve this when you are already a better player.
5. When you solve chess problems, try to remember the patterns

6. Solve also problems that win material(not only mate problems).

7. Try solving harder puzzles. But you should still solve easy puzzles.

8. If you are not sure about a move, rethink before you make a move.

Tactics it is then :)  This was the last game I played.I played it after calming down a bit. I think those blunders were due to having lost a previous game and having low confidence tbh. I tend to be very cautious as well. i think I need to be more bullish but I am going to spend a week just reading tactics and let the pattern recognition sink in. Hopefully then I should see an improvment in my games. Incidentally there is a guy I play and talk to on SocialChess who claims to have just learnt the moves and never cracked a book or learnt any theory in his life!

I had the upper hand here but it was still scrappy. Sorry I did not think to get it in PGN.I have downloaded shredder on the ipad and incidentally Murray Chandler's book Tactics for Kids arrived in the post this morning. On first glance it looks excellent with lots of clear diagrams and a good commentary. One thing in terms of production too is that it is a sturdy hardback for a good price. A lot of the chess book i have got have tended to be rather shoddily bound paperbacks.

Move  MattBod                 GuestXRLQ
----  ---------------------   ---------------------
  1.  d4      (0:00.000)      Nf6     (0:00.000)
  2.  Nc3     (0:29.256)      d5      (0:17.494)
  3.  Nb1     (0:18.072)      Nbd7    (0:16.206)
  4.  c4      (0:04.232)      dxc4    (0:14.942)
  5.  Nf3     (0:47.531)      b6      (0:13.222)
  6.  Nc3     (1:30.502)      c5      (0:18.403)
  7.  Bf4     (2:42.061)      e5      (0:06.589)
  8.  dxe5    (0:30.219)      Ng4     (0:34.965)
  9.  h3      (2:20.263)      Ngxe5   (0:22.522)
 10.  e3      (0:31.084)      Nd3+    (0:09.704)
 11.  Ke2     (0:13.500)      N7e5    (0:21.772)
 12.  Bxe5    (0:43.258)      Nxb2    (0:38.875)
 13.  Qd2     (0:14.110)      Bf5     (0:34.148)
 14.  Qxb2    (0:07.601)      Qd3+    (0:09.601)
 15.  Ke1     (0:12.436)      O-O-O   (0:22.742)
 16.  Bxd3    (0:10.921)      Rxd3    (0:10.537)
 17.  Kf1     (0:20.632)      a5      (0:29.125)
 18.  Nh4     (2:59.347)
      {Black resigns} 1-0