Hi,

I'm a beginner who'd like to improve my game - could you please give me some general advice?

I just won a game against a friend, but I wouldn't've if he'd promoted to a queen instead of a knight.

Here's the game (I don't know how to format it):

1. e4  c5 2. d4  cxd4 3. Qxd4  Nc6 4. Qc3  e6 5. Nf3  Nge7 6. Bg5  f6 7. Bh4  Ng6 8. a3  Be7 9. g3  O-O 10. Nbd2  Nce5 11. Nxe5  Nxe5 12. O-O-O  a6 13. f4  Ng4 14. Qf3  Nh6 15. f5  e5 16. Bc4+  Nf7 17. g4  b5 18. Bd5  Rb8 19. b4  Bb7 20. c4  Bxd5 21. cxd5  Rc8+ 22. Kb2  Rc7 23. Rhg1  Qc8 24. Rc1  Rxc1 25. Rxc1  Qb7 26. Qe3  Nd6 27. g5  Qa8 28. gxf6  Bxf6 29. Bxf6  Rxf6 30. Nf3  Nc4+ 31. Rxc4  bxc4 32. Nxe5  Qc8 33. Qa7  c3+ 34. Kc2  Rh6 35. Qxd7  Rxh2+ 36. Kd3  Qxd7 37. Nxd7  c2 38. e5  c1=N+ 39. Ke4  Rh4+ 40. Kf3  Rh3+ 41. Kg4  Rxa3 42. e6  Rd3 43. e7  Re3 44. d6  Nd3 45. Nc5  Nxb4 46. d7  a5 47. e8=Q+  Rxe8 48. dxe8=Q#   1-0

please start using the 'insert position 'button. Copy page pgn in this, so people can easlily see you game. I have done it for you game but it is very easy to learn and makes discussing a game attractive.

Think you very lucky as so unlikely for black to promote pawn to knight ? (move 38.) Black defeated himself...

Caspid - from one beginner to another, welcome!  Although it appears you've been here a year, you haven't done anything, have no online game rating, and have only completed 3 tactics trainer puzzles?

My recommendation comes from what others have recommended to ME!

1. Do the Tactics Trainer EVERY DAY.  It will teach you to recognize patterns, common tactics (forks, pins, skewers, discovery checks, etc) that eventually you will start to see in your own games (and see others attempting against you).  There is a direct correlation to the growth of my tactics trainer rating and my game-play rating.
2. Consider a premium membership.  Premium membership will give you many more tactics trainer options, game play options, and depending on the level you purchase, the possibility to watch videos and use the best tool I think on Chess.com, the "Chess Mentor".  Basically it's your own personal Chess coach teaching you lessons, explaining moves, and will really help you improve.
3. PLAY CHESS!  Start with Online Games, as they give you time to think and not reinforce bad habits.  Live Games are OK, but the Blitz/Bullet games will likely do more to frustrate you than help you at this point.
4. If you DO get a book, some of the books I've used or am still using include the famous "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" (which is a VERY basic book that I would only recommend for complete beginners), and one I am going through right now by Jeremy Silman, "The Amateur's Mind".

If you need help figuring out how to format a game to be posted in the forums, send me a private message and I'd be happy to help you.  it took me a while to figure it out, but once I did, it's very simple now.

Wow - exciting game!

To echo some previous advice, study lots and lots of tactics. Nowadays tactics puzzles are available on computers - if you prefer books, start with Fred Reinfeld's books in the "1001 ..." series.

Study endgames! Silman's book is probably a great place to start - and also probably all you need for a while.

Work through Silman's _Reassess Your Chess Workbook_ - set up the positions and go through all of them, one by one. Then do the whole book again.

And keep playing!