Two tips that are the most important at your level, by far:
1. If you can take one of the pieces of your opponent for free, take it.
2. Don't hang your own pieces. ("Hang" means put it where it can be captured for free.)
One bonus tip: Play a longer time control where you can think of your moves. Right now you are playing 3-minute blitz, which is way too fast, and as a result every second move is a blunder.
"The opening is to prepare the middle game.
The middle game is to prepare the endgame." - Capablanca
So chess should be learned backwards: endgame first.
Play 15|10 rapid and use all your time before move 30, finishing on increment only.
Thanks to the increment you always have 10 s/move to win a won position or draw a drawn position.
Blunder check before you move.
Formulate a plan based on the specific features of the position, such as pawn structure, piece placement and potential weaknesses in your opponent's position.
Formulate a plan based on the specific features of the position, such as pawn structure, piece placement and potential weaknesses in your opponent's position.
Seriously, this is your advice to a 300-rated player? "Formulate a plan based on the specific features of the position". Seriously?
Watch chess as well as play it. As a beginner you aren't yet comfortable with how the pieces move. So naturally, just play more and you'll figure it out.
Beyond that, by watching chess, try to figure out where the pieces usually are developed to (ie. knight to f3, bishop to c4, knight c3, castle, play h3 for luft). People who are stronger don't think too much about developing to these squares because we understand that they are just flat out strong, good moves.
If we take queen to g4 as white. This rarely ever happens. An exception is one line in the vienna, because normally black can play d5 or d6, opening up the scope of the bishop on c8 to see the queen on g4. So stronger players basically never play queen g4 in the opening because we understand intuitively that it is not a secure square to place the queen. Queen e2, d2, f3 is much safer and better in the opening in normal circumstances.
So, understand that you want to control the center, and understand that there are normally squares that your pieces want to be on. So develop them there faster than your opponent. Castling is OP but don't forget to play h3 so you don't get back ranked. After you get a grip on this, try to punish the moves that seem weird by the opponent. Right now we're getting a feel for good vs weird/questionable moves.
@6
"don't forget to play h3"
++ Do not play h3 unless there is a benefit. Otherwise it is a lost move and it weakens.
Black can attack h3 with g5-g4, or with Nf6-Nh5-Nf4, or with sacrifices Nxg2, Nxh3, Bxh3
I have really been struggling with developing my pieces and forming a strong middle game. What are some tips for entering the middle game or dealing with it?