Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond…
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
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9 days ago
0
#3
Sorry to bring bad news, but diamond membership does not do much when there are free stuff online on other website. Search them up. And don’t tilt pls.
9 days ago
0
#4
If you lose 1–2 games (I suggest stopping after 1), take a break and don’t rush to get Elo. That’s called tilt. Tilt makes you play fast and lose more. If you continue, slow down and use your time wisely.
9 days ago
0
#5
How to study in chess.
Start with openings. they guide your plan into the midgame and it tells you what to do. If you like playing for long-term styles and aggressive things combined I recommend the Colle-Zukertort(it is a d4 opening) and if you want an e4 one the Italian game works best. For black you have to find openings against e4 and d4 and for the rest of white’s opening just use opening principles and the same goes for if you are white. For openings I would recommend for black against e4 is just either e5, the French defense, or the Caro-Cann and for against d4 I recommend the KID(King’s Indian Defense). Next in the midgame, focus on these and they are in no order, but please remember to study them all.
1. Stop blundering: do daily puzzles and trade off threats.
2. Positional play: control space, weak squares, and place pieces on active squares.
3. Attacking: use pawn storms, bring pieces in, and sacrifice when needed.
4. Defense: trade attackers, counterattack, and protect your king with a solid pawn structure. Endgames are also important and there are 2 types of endgames. Theoretical and practical. Practical endgames are ones that don’t have a clear path(in perfect play). Theoretical endgames are ones that have a clear path(in perfect play). Online is the best source and remember to check the free stuff.
Start with openings. they guide your plan into the midgame and it tells you what to do. If you like playing for long-term styles and aggressive things combined I recommend the Colle-Zukertort(it is a d4 opening) and if you want an e4 one the Italian game works best. For black you have to find openings against e4 and d4 and for the rest of white’s opening just use opening principles and the same goes for if you are white. For openings I would recommend for black against e4 is just either e5, the French defense, or the Caro-Cann and for against d4 I recommend the KID(King’s Indian Defense). Next in the midgame, focus on these and they are in no order, but please remember to study them all.
1. Stop blundering: do daily puzzles and trade off threats.
2. Positional play: control space, weak squares, and place pieces on active squares.
3. Attacking: use pawn storms, bring pieces in, and sacrifice when needed.
4. Defense: trade attackers, counterattack, and protect your king with a solid pawn structure. Endgames are also important and there are 2 types of endgames. Theoretical and practical. Practical endgames are ones that don’t have a clear path(in perfect play). Theoretical endgames are ones that have a clear path(in perfect play). Online is the best source and remember to check the free stuff.
9 days ago
0
#6
Pawn weaknesses and how to take advantage of them
When facing a weak pawn, don’t rush. Add 1–2 attackers, not more, to tie down their defenders. Then shift focus to another weakness or improve your position. If they can’t defend and have no counterplay, it’s a free pawn. If they can, create a new weakness, maybe by provoking a structure break, using tactics, trading, playing prophylactic moves, baiting weakening moves. You can also switch sides to make them overextend their position. Remember weak pawns aren’t just to be captured, they’re long-term targets for gaining initiative and restricting their pieces.
When facing a weak pawn, don’t rush. Add 1–2 attackers, not more, to tie down their defenders. Then shift focus to another weakness or improve your position. If they can’t defend and have no counterplay, it’s a free pawn. If they can, create a new weakness, maybe by provoking a structure break, using tactics, trading, playing prophylactic moves, baiting weakening moves. You can also switch sides to make them overextend their position. Remember weak pawns aren’t just to be captured, they’re long-term targets for gaining initiative and restricting their pieces.
9 days ago
0
#7
Weak squares and how to take advantage of them.
A weak square is a kind of square that can’t be challenged by an enemy pawn and is ideally controlled by yours. Create weak squares by baiting pawn moves (e.g., provoking a knight kick). Place a piece—usually a knight—on the weak square, not a pawn. Trade off the defenders (except pawns) to secure it. For example, if only a bishop defends it, trade bishops first, then place your knight there. If you have to trade a bishop for a knight to get a weak square then do it, it is worth it most of the time.
A weak square is a kind of square that can’t be challenged by an enemy pawn and is ideally controlled by yours. Create weak squares by baiting pawn moves (e.g., provoking a knight kick). Place a piece—usually a knight—on the weak square, not a pawn. Trade off the defenders (except pawns) to secure it. For example, if only a bishop defends it, trade bishops first, then place your knight there. If you have to trade a bishop for a knight to get a weak square then do it, it is worth it most of the time.
9 days ago
0
#8
Imbalances are differences in position or material that affect strategy like Q vs 3 minor pieces, R vs 2 minor pieces, B vs N, space, structure, and more. Rules are helpful, but sometimes breaking them is the best move.
1. B vs N / N vs B: Against a knight, limit its squares and box it out. Against a bishop, put your pawns on the opposite color and protect the ones who can’t move the opposite color of the bishop.
2. Pawn Structure: Target weak pawns (isolated, backward, stuck, doubled, tripled), and defend your own.
3. Space: More space means more space to move. Focus your attack where you have more space (center or side), and squeeze your opponent.
4. Files & Squares: Use open files for rooks, long diagonals for bishops, and place knights on weak squares the enemy can’t control, but you control.
5. Development: Don’t rush with just a few pieces out. Finish development, then the tactics and attack will follow.
6. Initiative: Keep making threats to keep your opponent under the pressure. Use that momentum to finish development and launch future attacks.
1. B vs N / N vs B: Against a knight, limit its squares and box it out. Against a bishop, put your pawns on the opposite color and protect the ones who can’t move the opposite color of the bishop.
2. Pawn Structure: Target weak pawns (isolated, backward, stuck, doubled, tripled), and defend your own.
3. Space: More space means more space to move. Focus your attack where you have more space (center or side), and squeeze your opponent.
4. Files & Squares: Use open files for rooks, long diagonals for bishops, and place knights on weak squares the enemy can’t control, but you control.
5. Development: Don’t rush with just a few pieces out. Finish development, then the tactics and attack will follow.
6. Initiative: Keep making threats to keep your opponent under the pressure. Use that momentum to finish development and launch future attacks.
9 days ago
0
#9
7. Small material differences: Q vs 3 minor pieces. If you have the 3 minor pieces then make them all defend each other and defend your king to avoid double attacks and avoid opening lines for the queen. If you have the queen in this situation you need to open lines for your queen, find double attacks, and infiltrate your opponents position. R vs 2 minor pieces. On the side with 2 minor pieces you need to make your pieces defend each other, prevent the rook from infiltrating, and attack weaknesses. If you are on the side with the rook try to infiltrate, attack weaknesses, and put your rook behind either color’s passed pawn.
8. Opposite side castling: you should do a pawn storm against the opponent. Before I explain how to pawn storm, I will explain what a pawn hook is. A pawn hook is a pushed pawn(1 or 2 squares) on any part of the board, but here we will talk about pawn storming the opposing king. Now to use a pawn hook to our advantage, we go push with one pawn and have either 1 rook or 2 rooks(one is if you don’t have time and 2 is if you need more power, but only get 2 when you have enough time), and then use the pawn to attack the hook pawn and if that move was a fork, let’s say of a knight and hook pawn, then a trade is forced to happen which accomplishes our goal of opening the file for the rook. If it is not a fork then it way not work. Against no hook pawns we are targeting the square g6(saying if our opponent has the black pieces and castled kingside) and we have to make sure that when we do g6, another pawn should defend it and after that it forces a trade which opens the file.
8. Opposite side castling: you should do a pawn storm against the opponent. Before I explain how to pawn storm, I will explain what a pawn hook is. A pawn hook is a pushed pawn(1 or 2 squares) on any part of the board, but here we will talk about pawn storming the opposing king. Now to use a pawn hook to our advantage, we go push with one pawn and have either 1 rook or 2 rooks(one is if you don’t have time and 2 is if you need more power, but only get 2 when you have enough time), and then use the pawn to attack the hook pawn and if that move was a fork, let’s say of a knight and hook pawn, then a trade is forced to happen which accomplishes our goal of opening the file for the rook. If it is not a fork then it way not work. Against no hook pawns we are targeting the square g6(saying if our opponent has the black pieces and castled kingside) and we have to make sure that when we do g6, another pawn should defend it and after that it forces a trade which opens the file.
9 days ago
0
#10
Here are youtube channels for chess tips.
Chessbrah’s habits speedrun and the Colle-Zukertort speedrun if which you are interested in the Colle-Zukertort then you should watch that speedrun series and the habits series too.
Remote Chess Academy: This YouTube channel is where you learn the middlegame stuff I talked about in #4 and the GM here explains it well and don’t forget this channel has a vid talking about the Colle-Zukertort too and endgames.
Chess Vibes: Here is where you learn most of the small things that don’t matter as much as what Remote Chess Academy says, but all of the small things combined are more than what the YouTube channel Remote Chess Academy says combined and most endgame stuffs are here than other channels I have mentioned.
Chessbrah’s habits speedrun and the Colle-Zukertort speedrun if which you are interested in the Colle-Zukertort then you should watch that speedrun series and the habits series too.
Remote Chess Academy: This YouTube channel is where you learn the middlegame stuff I talked about in #4 and the GM here explains it well and don’t forget this channel has a vid talking about the Colle-Zukertort too and endgames.
Chess Vibes: Here is where you learn most of the small things that don’t matter as much as what Remote Chess Academy says, but all of the small things combined are more than what the YouTube channel Remote Chess Academy says combined and most endgame stuffs are here than other channels I have mentioned.
Me as same want to be part of the community but I always be Fallingbostel back to 500 with the two blunters as direct chess beat me in over 100 games and I wanted to rise from 700.
9 days ago
0
#12
It's mostly about following certain principles when playing. That helped me reach 2000+ and that is what I teach others to help them do the same.
9 days ago
0
#14
It looks like you a trying the brute force method of playing as many games as possible. Everyone learns in different ways. For example, I've grown my rating from 1200 to almost 1300 in the last month by only playing on average 1 game per day. I play, post the game on youtube, and the rest of the time I study using books, puzzles and watching other chess youtubers.
You don't have to do the same thing - I'm just trying to convey that you don't have to play hundreds of games each month to improve. If you play that many games, how are you suppose to study and review all your games and give them the attention they deserve? We need to focus on quality over quantity.
9 days ago
0
#15
HeckinSprout wrote:
It looks like you a trying the brute force method of playing as many games as possible. Everyone learns in different ways. For example, I've grown my rating from 1200 to almost 1300 in the last month by only playing on average 1 game per day. I play, post the game on youtube, and the rest of the time I study using books, puzzles and watching other chess youtubers.
You don't have to do the same thing - I'm just trying to convey that you don't have to play hundreds of games each month to improve. If you play that many games, how are you suppose to study and review all your games and give them the attention they deserve? We need to focus on quality over quantity.
Thank you! I will be trying your advice out. I used to do the same as you, maybe play about 5-6 games a week and study chess material, mainly watching chess youtubers, and that's how I got to 850-890 elo in a month ( I didn't play much games partly due to my elo anxiety or social anxiety ) , but then I saw a youtube video that said that below 1200, it's just pure puzzles and as much games as possible, so I started to force myself to play games and I didn't feel like I made any progress, and now I've realized the balance was maybe not right ( for me atleast )
9 days ago
0
#16
MangoooooJuice wrote:
Thank you! I will be trying your advice out. I used to do the same as you, maybe play about 5-6 games a week and study chess material, mainly watching chess youtubers, and that's how I got to 850-890 elo in a month ( I didn't play much games partly due to my elo anxiety or social anxiety ) , but then I saw a youtube video that said that below 1200, it's just pure puzzles and as much games as possible, so I started to force myself to play games and I didn't feel like I made any progress, and now I've realized the balance was maybe not right ( for me atleast )
Good on you conquering your ladder anxiety! I had to overcome mine as well over the past year.
9 days ago
0
#17
Dear Mangoooo,
My name is Gabor Balazs. I’m a Hungarian FIDE Master and a certified, full-time chess coach, so I hope I can help you. 
Everybody is different, so that's why there isn't only one given way to learn and improve.
First of all, you have to discover your biggest weaknesses in the game and start working on them. The most effective way for that is analyzing your own games. There is a built-in engine on chess.com which can show you if a move is good or bad but the only problem is that it can't explain to you the plans, ideas behind the moves, so you won't know why it is so good or bad.
In my opinion, chess has 4 main areas (openings, strategies, tactics/combinations and endgames) and if you want to improve efficiently, you should improve all of these skills almost at the same time. That's what my training program is based on. My students enjoy the lessons because they cover multiple aspects of chess in an engaging and dynamic way, keeping the learning process both stimulating and efficient. Of course, there are always ups and downs but this is completely normal in everyone's career.
If you would like to learn more about chess, you can take private lessons from me (you find the details on my profile) or you can visit my Patreon channel (www.patreon.com/Bgabor91), where you can learn about every kind of topics (openings, strategies, tactics, endgames, game analysis). There are around 46 hours of educational videos uploaded already (some of them are available with a FREE subscription) and I'm planning to upload at least 4 new videos per week, so you can get 4-6 hours of educational contents every month. I also upload daily puzzles in 4 levels every day which are available with a FREE subscription.
I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck with your games!
Rather than grind puzzles or speed chess, why not study how chess masters think? A week or two with Chernev’s Logical Chess Move by Move or the Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played will add more to your playing strength than months of what you have been doing.
9 days ago
0
#20
Here are youtube channels for chess tips.
Chessbrah’s habits speedrun and the Colle-Zukertort speedrun if which you are interested in the Colle-Zukertort then you should watch that speedrun series and the habits series too.
Remote Chess Academy: This YouTube channel is where you learn the middlegame stuff I talked about in #4 and the GM here explains it well and don’t forget this channel has a vid talking about the Colle-Zukertort too and endgames. This is the place where I recommend to search how to stop blunders.
Chess Vibes: Here is where you learn most of the small things that don’t matter as much as what Remote Chess Academy says, but all of the small things combined are more than what the YouTube channel Remote Chess Academy says combined and most endgame stuffs are here than other channels I have mentioned.
Chessbrah’s habits speedrun and the Colle-Zukertort speedrun if which you are interested in the Colle-Zukertort then you should watch that speedrun series and the habits series too.
Remote Chess Academy: This YouTube channel is where you learn the middlegame stuff I talked about in #4 and the GM here explains it well and don’t forget this channel has a vid talking about the Colle-Zukertort too and endgames. This is the place where I recommend to search how to stop blunders.
Chess Vibes: Here is where you learn most of the small things that don’t matter as much as what Remote Chess Academy says, but all of the small things combined are more than what the YouTube channel Remote Chess Academy says combined and most endgame stuffs are here than other channels I have mentioned.
ok