The Patzer Chronicles: Eight Types of Chess Blunders and How to Avoid Them
First off before we dive into it, let me say that everybody makes mistakes. Yep, in chess, in life, everybody makes mistakes. Before you get too hard on yourself you gotta understand that. Mistakes in chess are Karma. You can't avoid karma.
However, some of them you can.
Blunder #1: Peril on the Sea You see what I did there? Sea? Rather than See? Yes, one of the biggest mistakes is a failure to take a moment and see what you have missed. Especially if you are just beginning at chess, it is important, to maybe even have a 3x5 card in front of you with steps you go through prior to each movement. We've all been here. You make your move and suddenly the opponent is carting off your queen. Before you make your play ask yourself, "What have I missed?"
Blunder # 2 What about the Damn Diagonal? One of my weaknesses has often been to fail to appreciate the diagonal. As the proverb goes, "Above all, know thyself. " What is your weakness? If you don't know your weakness, how you can fix it? If you keep making the same mistake, the first thing is to know what mistake you are making. Which is why it is so essential, if you want to improve, that you analyze your games. Seriously analyze them. Make notes on each move and go back and review your notes. (For more on Analysis see my earlier blog on Analyzing your games.)
Blunder #3 Hurry up and Wait Which is only to say that many mistakes in chess are time mistakes. You are playing too slow or too fast. If you take too long on a move that requires no thought, you are just stealing from your time when you need it. On the other hand, maybe you play too fast. Also, the best advice I received was that if you really want to improve at chess; if that is your ultimate goal to improve, then play longer time intervals. I really enjoy playing tournament interval chess, but on chess.com the longest you are going to be able to get a game is a 60-minute interval game. At the least, play 30-minute games. Then on the other hand you have no interest in long games. Go for it.
Blunder #4 One, Two, Three Most games in chess hinge on a combination at some point, and it is so easy if you are going with the "First he goes here, then he takes, then I take, then he takes." If that is how you calculate your tactics, you are going to make mistakes. Which is why you must learn the chess board. If you listen to the grandmasters talk, they spout off "Queen to B5, then Rook B1, Bishop C3, etc." Make that a habit of how you contemplate a move. It is a more accurate way to organize your mind. Also, keep track of how many pieces are supporting a square. If you know you have three protecting the square and he only has two, you're good.
Blunder #6 I'm Always at a Disadvantage Out of the Opening If this is you, it is likely you have not learned the essential rules of the opening and I strongly recommend that you go to Chess.com's lessons on the opening. Are you moving your pieces more than once in the opening? Did you fail to castle within the first ten moves? Did you fail to connect your rooks? Are you making multiple pawn moves? Did you bring your queen out too early?
Blunder #7 Damn, I've Just been Mated Okay, if this is you, then you need to do several things. First, pay a moment of time to see what his last move meant. Did he open a discovery? Is there a tactic? Is your king in peril? How is your back rank? The best answer to this problem is to play more games, and do tactics, lots and lots of tactics. I mean a lot of tactics. If you want to improve you need to do at least 25 tactics everyday.
Blunder #8 I'm so Mad, I'm Going to Quit Chess Forever Well, if you can quit it, sure. Why not? There are a lot of other more productive ways to engage your life: Exercise, Talk with your girlfriend or spouse, Spend time with your Kids. Those are (potentially) far less frustrating than chess. Let me tell you, I've been there, so many times...but if you are like me and chess is just inside you, then my advice is to get better. That's what I'm trying to do. Study it.
