Frustrated with position and control. Halp

Hi guys, recently I have picked up chess and love the game a lot. I solve a lot of tactics on chess tempo with no problem and my rating there is 1038 (I like the setup of those tactics better so I stopped using chess.cm's tactics for a bit) I also like chess base. I have been practicing against computers more than online. I feel like there is something I don't quite get. I beat a friend of mine on here that is almost twice my rating. Sometimes the game just flows and I have no problem controlling the situation. Other times I either suffocate myself with position or straight up blunder. At my highest, most focused level I can play decently and have fun. Other times, not so much. I see a lot of the structures and recognize them. It is just control of exchanging and calculation a bit. I have a high spacial memory I just struggle with the concepts.

Territory? I know you are supposed to happen but sometimes I will see someone attack mostly dark squares, light squares or evenly both. How do you know what space to cover (not just how much) I don't know the actual structure names but I call them walls, baskets, cages etc and learned them from the computer but being stuck on level 35 it uses its structures much better than mine. I know these fortresses are a variation of an openng and I can recognize them but not name them so I just give them weird names. The thing is I don't know how to build the proper fortress to attack the other one. I build a decent one now but idk if it is the right one. I think I sound like my style is more positional than anything and I enjoy making these shapes. It feels more like a battle.

I am just having trouble. At times I will create a great position and it feels easy (my game against holluc on this site) and mostly, other times, I get creamed. I seem to choke myself out or blunder. 

I feel like there is a root concept that if I understood it would help me. You know? This structure is good against that one but bad against this one. You should have x amount of dark or light squares under control. Shutting off enemy communication and gaining control of certain things. 

Idk if this even makes sense.

I am just getting frustrated >.<

Any advice is appreciated

I am not yet professional, but I would like to provide paid chess lessons if you are interested. I have over 10+ students and they improved quickly over classes. So contact me if you would like to see significant improvement in short periods of time.

Bipolarity- It is not really possible to answer your questions directly.  Its just too complicated.

But i can tell you what to do.  Start learning chess strategy.  This could be from books, DVDs or online, the last of which has the advantage of often being available free.

Start with things labelled for beginners, and progress at your own pace.  That will allow you to learn the names for the things you are talking about in your post.

There is a huge amount to learn, I have been playing chess for decades, often quite seriously, and there is a hell of a lot I don't know.

These free courses will definitely help.  Sure chess.com is hoping you'll be so enthralled with them you'll pony up the cash for premium, but in the meantime you have 15 free Chess Mentor courses.  Did I mention they were free?

http://www.chess.com/blog/webmaster/free-chess-mentor-courses

To me, it sounds a little as though it might be helpful to look at Simple Chess by Michael Stean.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104258/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review400.pdf

Learn the basic and master it first.  Then you will see much improvement in your play.  Remember, we are human and human makes mistake.  A game of chess is won when someone makes mistakes.  

A baby first starts to learn to control its neck and enventually goes to running.  This can take about 1 year (more or less).  So your progress will take time.  Give yourself 2 years. 

Awesome advice here! I am studying a couple of popular main lines and of course tactics. I guess the formation of the two with why how when and where is your strategy! I like to watch people play live chess with good, exciting commentary. From them I learn a lot and stay awake. Lol what would you guys consider the basics? My next thing i need to learn before venturing out in my studies is how to tell if a position is good or not so I can know how to navigate through it

You dont know what is basic .  Its a guide what you need to do in Opening, Middle & End game (You can get it if you search the net).  If you are still making blunders, then you need to work on your basics.  

Make sure you this in your game.  

1. Just dont look at your pieces & plan.  See where each your opponent's pieces & what plan he has.  It means you need to look at the whole board!!!  Do this each any every move.  
2. Immediately after your opponent makes his move, check if your King or minions are in danger, are in check or being attacked.  
3. When making your move, check the square you putting your piece wont have any bad implications (blunders or give opponent a tactic or opponent piece is attacking that square) 

Learn a gambit opening and play it often.  It helps you to realise chess from a positional standpoint very well.

I know what those basics are and I solve a lot of tactics puzzles. I am good at tactics but only because I know there is one to find. I check my moves and try to keep ly opponents plan in my head. I guess I meant for theory and not actual play. As for actual play I am just cleaning up bad habits. I have to know the right lines to pick because some just straight up hang a piece 5 moves later. I think I am going to start with the most popular lines I see here and against my computer

Knowing the lines wont help you much if you dont know why?  BTW, looking at your rating, you have not practiced enough.  ALSO, if you are well versed in the basic, you wont be doing blunder.  Sorry you have not done enough. Do it everyday for a period of time consistently.  Do not expect miracle or instant results.  Build your base first.  You MUST have a strong foundation.  Remember a house built in a lousy foundation will eventually collapse. 

You maybe be good at tactic but you cant find it in games because you do not recognise its patern.  Doing tactics is is not only about solving it but the most important part is recognising the patern.  If you dont know the patern, you wont know how to find it (or see it) or defend against it.

BTW, your tactics rating is below 1000.  That is very bad.  

Challenge me in take back (make it 1 move in 7 days).  I am sure i can teach you something useful.  

FOR YOU, just concentrate on the basics first.  There is no use if you know the tactic, endgame, theory of an opening but you hang your piece in the middle of the game. The first thing you need to do is to eliminate your mistakes as much as possible.  All you need to right now is the 3 things i mentioned in my earlier post.  

Right, that is the point I am shifting to. The reason I wanted to learn lines is to learn why some moves are better than others and to start seeing the ideas with them. I feel like if I start becoming aware of the right ideas behind moving my pieces then I am more likely to move them correctly. So pretty much what you said and a bit more. As for me I have a long way to go lol I stopped using tactics on here for a while and used chess tempo. I am just now working on matching my rating here to there

In a 2010 book, GM Andrew Soltis wrote, "... good books can [give a clear verbal description of what an opening is all about] ... If there isn't any text - if it's all just moves - then this isn't the book for you."