What a Blunder is, and how to avoid them
We've seen them, we know them, we hate them, but what is a Blunder in Chess? I mean, everyone knows that a Blunder is a bad move, but what is it specifically? Well, a quote from Wikipedia, says "In chess, a blunder is a critically bad move or decision". Pretty basic, though mistakes, and inaccurate moves have similar descriptions. The difference is, blunders immediately worsen the players position in the game, and a particularly bad one, may even cost them the entire match. However, it's very common to make several blunders in a game, and still easily win. For example, it's pretty frequent for me to make, 3, 7, and even 9+ blunders in a game, and still pull off a dominating win. Blunders are also not always a player's fault. Accidental clicks, unusual strategies, and annoying siblings can all cause Blunders. But now, the big question. Now that we know what blunders are, how can we avoid them? Pshhh, you think avoiding them is easy, we just need to become better players! Well yes, but there's more to it than that. First off, you've already taken the first step. If you want to stop, or change something, then learning about it is a good place to start, which is what you just did! Congrats! The second step is learning how to avoid them. I'm no master at this, I can offer a few tips though. First off, don't hesitate to use up some of your time to analyze the game. Speed has its place in chess, but it can also lead to spontaneous moves, which are often times the bad ones. Take your time but use your speed when necessary. Also, always take a careful look at the board, sometimes at a different angle. You can switch the board around during a chess.com game, and this lets you see what your opponent sees, which will sometimes reveal their strategy. Also, if you really want to win a game with minimal blunders, just play the game, and that's it. Don't watch a YouTube video at the same time, text/email with a friend, or anything else that may take too much energy away. If you devote your full attention to the game, you have a much better chance of winning, and making less blunders. Also try something like listening to music or an audiobook, and having your cat or dog next to or near you while you play. These things can be relaxing, and/or encouraging, and don't require much attention. The third and final step, is simply putting everything you just read into effect. With all the skills you just read about, and enough practice, I can almost guarantee that you'll become a better player. As always, keep playing chess, and have fun!
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