What should you do to not follow the same mistakes made last game?

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Sukaruratchi

I've had my fair amount of mistakes from game to game, and one thing that may be seen as a set back, is not reviewing your mistakes, and learning from them. Chess can consist of trial and error, and you won't improve if you don't review the errors made. After you review the mistakes, you must learn what to do in order not to make them again, but most of the time it is easy to forget everything once you play again. It's like studying for a school exam, then forgetting everything the very next day, what should one do to not repeat the mistakes, and what should you do to remember how not to make those mistakes?

Magpie_0-0

hmmm idk

notachilldude

just play and keep making that error until you don't do it anymore. Worked for me, I made the same mistake countless times, but after making like 5 or 6 times the same mistakes I learned the positions that mistake could occur and then I stopped blundering. The fact you have the knowledge doesn't mean you have the skill to stop the mistake. To get that skill, your brain needs to confront that situation dozens of times, just like doing the same types of exercises for school exams for a long period of time. After a while is just normal for you to have that skill

Phxntamz

personaly i just go in game review and go over my mistakes sometimes i ues analysis and see what would happen if i played different moves

readeroftomes

It depends on the kind of mistake you are making. If it is an error because of carelessness or blindness--a true blunder--then yes, you can stop that by repetition. Once you've made the same mistake enough times, you'll stop doing that.

But if your error is conceptual, we're discussing something entirely different. That's a situation where you need better ideas and awareness. IMO, you'll never solve this kind of problem by playing more games. You'll continue to fall into bad positions and tactical traps until you have a better read on what you should be doing (and what your opponent is trying to do).

So are we talking about fixing carelessness or conceptual errors?

wizzardA1
notachilldude wrote:

just play and keep making that error until you don't do it anymore. Worked for me, I made the same mistake countless times, but after making like 5 or 6 times the same mistakes I learned the positions that mistake could occur and then I stopped blundering. The fact you have the knowledge doesn't mean you have the skill to stop the mistake. To get that skill, your brain needs to confront that situation dozens of times, just like doing the same types of exercises for school exams for a long period of time. After a while is just normal for you to have that skill

this is the advice I use for myself very frequently

the more you play the quicker you understand your style and flatten out weaknesses or structural deficiencies

Wind

Love all the helpful tips here!

PabloNajdorf

I usually try to identify under what chess principle does my mistake fall: calculation, early/late castling, greediness, not knowing theory, not controlling enough space, sacrificing too many pawns ;_; etc.

thekenternet

when i lose, i game review and take note of my mistakes, i make them again sometimes, but i learn eventually lol.

when i win, i game review me and my opponent's good moves and mistakes.

i tend to play the same opening over and over, so reviewing my opponent's side as well helps me to understand other playing styles as well.

SamCopeland

I think it's helpful to review all of your games. For longer games, writing up analysis with your thoughts is extra helpful. Processing the mistake in the game and after in analysis helps reinforce the learning.

Also, I've never done this very well, but I like what GM Axel Smith did in the book "Pump Up Your Rating". In the book, he made a list of mistakes from across a series of games, and it really helped identify not just single mistakes, but re-occurring ones, so that he could focus work on those areas.

xdemomstream123
PabloNajdorf wrote:

I usually try to identify under what chess principle does my mistake fall: calculation, early/late castling, greediness, not knowing theory, not controlling enough space, sacrificing too many pawns ;_; etc.