650 elo, how do I improve?

How about this approach:

You play to have FUN in the first place and rating is a side effect . Yes, losses don't feel good, it shows you care but how about not analyzing anything after the game for the next 10 games - do your best, try to play well, try to understand at what the opponent is doing, if it works, great, if it doesn't, so what - you could enjoy a hobby without pressure or paying money.

When you have managed to do that, go back to analyzing but only 1 mistake per game... take it from there and remember that a hobby is not worth your time if you overly stress yourself out over it. Peace

@LuemmelHosenmatz87 Hello!

I deff have a complex when it comes to improvement. It doesn't feel great when you're stuck. Believe it or not, I'm actually not very competitive. I don't really care, or want to be better than anyone, in a game it's never fun when your opponent is superior. I just want to know that I'm playing better. 

@Sebu13 Hello!

I'm having trouble asking myself those sorts of questions because unlike the computer, I can't see 8 moves ahead. I think my brain doesn't work normally. That being said, I played a few games today, I think I'm doing better? I lost one because I missed free material and that's just a skill I'll just need to work on. But I'm starting to think more about ideas. I just played against another weird opening, which I only know is the Sicilian because it was a queens gambit show thing, and a I've skipped every Sicilian video that's been suggested to me on YouTube. I don't know what you're supposed to do in response, but I was thinking about what they wanted, and what I wanted which strangely changes the game from a scary structured checklist to a game of opposing ideas. 

I made some pretty big mistakes in this game: https://www.chess.com/game/live/165552079554

One of the best moves for my opponent on Move 9) would have been to play Nc6 which I was thinking about, sadly I didn't know how to deal with it if they had played it. But the analysis tool did point out that if they did block their bishop, I wouldn't have to be afraid of the followup move Be3 I also made another huge mistake in this game, with my later attacking idea of sacking my Bishop on Move 11) The computer says that was a losing game. But what's neat is the analysis tool suddenly shows the strength of ideas, not just "This move is best" I might be brainwashing myself but I'm out of alternative ideas.

@Weavery1 That's a huge point, it's so damaging to have people I need something then a random comment saying I don't.

My fault, I didn't mean to be damaging which just trying to say what worked for me!

Hey I actually also am not very competitive. I also don't care about improving because I can't with the medication I have to take so I just try to have fun. Also I like to add I feel quite comfortable being in the 400-500 range in rapid, I have zero pressure, I don't even need to get to 600. That would be where it starts to be important that you know some openings which I don't.

Playing chess is very exhausting for me, I don't want to risk a burnout again, same with depression, so I try to always have zero expectation and pressure. That helps me winning.

Seems like you're not willing to try the non-analysis experiment, yet, which is totally fine - always your choice . If you try it one day, let us know how it went and felt... it's only a few days of games at your pace.

To motivate you a bit for that: my brain, similarly, is driven by an (almost?) addictive drive to improve all the time. I play the guitar and a few years ago I got really frustrated because I plateaued. I couldn't get to the speed I wanted, I couldn't get a certain sound I wanted. I kept hammering away at it, to no avail... one day I found a guitar teacher on YouTube who managed to slow me down with 4 simple statements:

Don't worry (VERY applicable here)

Don't compare (Even if it is just about playing better, it does help to let go of it at least for a short while)

Don't expect too fast (obv is obv , you know, haha )

Be kind to yourself (important, especially when nothing seems to go your way)

Once I followed that advise, slowed down and worried less, I improved my speed and found the sound within a few weeks. The funny thing is, now, I rarely even choose to play fast and the sound I use only on very few occasions... yet, it feels like an accomplishment . What I didn't notice in my frustration was how much I was learning about sound and music in general during my plateau. This is what I cherish and use everyday...

Not talking chess here on purpose, I'm with Weavery on that one... your checklist (if helpful at all) has enough items as is . That's my 2 cent, nothing to add, signing off until you try... or not. In any case. GL, happy progressing!

https://www.chess.com/club/all-players-that-want-to-join/join

@Ze_Shoopuf

I spend hours 3d modeling. I often equate time to skill, as it's taken me roughly 1000 hours to feel confident, and another to feel "good" Which doesn't exactly apply to me here. It's funny because there's no elo with art. You eventually just get it. Improving is still important to me and I've never had delusions of being the best at anything. I did naturally assume, that you just get better with chess, and I just want to be at a level where I'm good enough to play confidently because I'm often afraid of my opponents.

Here is a great example: https://www.chess.com/game/165556143544

In this game I thought I was doing okay, but I forgot about thinking what exactly my opponents plan was. I made some mistakes, allowing opportunities for my opponent. You can skip to the end, Hello! Rh1 is a win, I came up with a plan to save myself, and then I forgot I could win. Omg.

I wrote my thingy because it is a valid strategy against fearing your opponents. Also ask yourself: do you fear your opponents or not fulfulling your own expectations (- "Don't expect too fast")?

So I'm 1800+ Rapid. Look at this:

Horrific blunder, right? Still, even with this, I can be 1800+ and I moved on (after a few so-so games) to go on a winning streak to improve my personal best on here (can be checked in my game history). Just to alleviate the pressure a bit - you don't get good by stressing over your mistakes too much ("be kind to yourself") but by keep trying. Do it your way, glgl

@crotonninja1isagm Yes, especially in that game, I thought my king was safe, and on move 16, I wanted to defend the knight which was defending my king. Another concept described as simple or easy that doesn't come naturally to me.

Did you get that book I spoke of? I noticed that I got a few sales. I was wondering if maybe you are one of them?

I don't understand I went from 350 elo to 1000 just by keeping my pieces protected, castling early, and developing my pieces. If a piece can be captured protect the piece or move it to a better square. If your king is in the center castle it. If your moving pawns instead of pieces, your not developing properly. That is the easiest advice.

Then keep playing and keep analysing your games, its as simple as that. youve received a bunch of information and instructional videos. 
Now go do the work. Not all of the advice you receive will all be applicable at the same time in the same position, but advice, basics, tactical ideas, all prepare you for when you are in any given position, you can make a more well informed move. 
Again i think this forum discussion has made it clear your biggest issue is king safety, ive seen like 5 games you've posted and all of them have the issue of king safety and you not pressing forward in a winning position. If i were you i'd make that my focus until I felt like it was solidified and not a weakness anymore.

Guys, I went to her(?) profile, and she used to have a peak rating of 1285, then took a break of 1.5 years. This is not a beginner. Good trolling anyway. Case closed.

Wrong. If you go to my profile and click on under recent (90) days. - Highest Rating/Games played

Rapid: 1068 / 136

Blitz: 911 / 439

If you go back and just look at my oldest games, you will very quickly see exactly, what I told you.

I didn't say I started yesterday, but I'm new in the sense that I never learned how to properly play the game. I played the Vienna, exactly the same way, every time, as I saw in an app/YouTube. Just like in this game, the eval tool says I made huge mistakes and that one particularly:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/13806667331

it says I played at a 1400 level. A bunch of my recent games also say that when they're good. Like 1000-1200 usually. Despite current issues with king safety. Which you can very clearly see, even in this old game, if you hopped off of your toxic confirmation bias. 

When I made my account it started me at the (1200) rating, I have had a few wins/resignations, but it very quickly put me at a much lower level, met with frustrations and lack of understanding I took a huge break from the game. I'm not brand new to chess, but I'm new in the sense that I still play like a beginner, Aka: Plateaued Learner. I was never "actually" a 1200 player, it was a brief miscalculation in the elo tool which quickly corrected itself.

Obnoxious.

I favour 30 minute Rapid games in chess.com though on lichess where I care less about my rating I play 10 minute games with 5 second increments. Yes, you need time to think - Blitz or Bullet games it seems to me are for very good players with good manual dexterity as well, so they don't mouse-slip or whatever.

I have written down similar principles, carry them on pieces of paper in my pocket for occasional review, and have sometimes been able to apply them usefully. For example I recently followed one about getting one Rook onto the seventh rank, and then a second, and managed to draw a game I would otherwise have lost. Otherwise, except I am in the 900 range in Rapid, I am in much the same boat as the OP. Finding it hard to improve.

Introduction to the Bishop's Opening...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-the-bishops-opening

- or -

Introduction to the Vienna Game & Gambit

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-the-vienna-game-gambit

@RussBell

These are great, thank you. I still have a bit to learn with the Bishop's Opening, but I think I’ll forgo the Vienna or even the Gambit for now. I’m still a bit overwhelmed by all the suggestions for what’s "best" though thinking about chess in terms of ideas rather than just moves has already helped tremendously. It is a little saddening to realize I may have wasted years of opportunities to improve, but I’m trying to make up for it now.

I’ve started working through Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games, alongside puzzles, coordinates, and endgame practice. I'm starting to see through some opponents, yet I still struggle with horrible blunders and lapses in judgment. It's frustrating. I've learned if you make enough threatening moves to your opponent, their resolve just sort of cracks, it happens to me a lot.

I think part of the issue is that I’m essentially relearning the game. I’ve realized the Vienna was just an opening I adopted, not one I actually enjoy. I don't really have a "style" yet, and while some people tell me openings don’t matter at my level, Some also tell me to learn a few openings. I've been told when I play that I'm hyper aggressive, and need to work on my defense.

I’m hoping that it will all magically click with time, naturally I've started to visualize the board a lot better, I know the colors/names of each square. Mentally I see the board from a8 to e2. It doesn't really help, but I'm hoping it will. I want to play a bit more accurately. I'm just all over the place, and I feel like I have to really try hard just to improve a little bit. I also often, feel a bit of anxiety before matches, so I’d love to find reading material for atypical players/those who don’t learn or play the "normal" way; If you or anyone else happen to have any other recommendations along those lines, please let me know.

Additionally: Any other advanced topics, or opening guides are probably wasted on me. I don't want anyone to waste time on something that I'll skip over. I'm still making super basic mistakes, so I'm not just there yet.

i am 750 now

i gained 100 rating