Just started chess, anyone for coaching?

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pip358
Hey
KingKev52

I am not really a coach but I might be able to help you improve your game. 

The_Vedge

While I don't think I have the time to coach someone, I can make some recommendations.

As @simonseville has said already, lessons should be a place to start. Back when I started there was a very useful study plan, but I guess that might have been scrapped when they removed most of "old" lessons. Assuming you can't find the study plan I'd suggest using the lessions to look at general strategy, like positional play and thinking about when/whether to trade.

I think tactics would be even more useful, though. Players at every level benefit from solving tactics, but it's especially useful to players at your level, because it'll help you learn to spot hanging pieces, which, from looking at some of your games and from what I've heard from a GM, is a pretty significant factor at your level. It's hard to improve at chess without learning not to hang pieces, because there's a lot of subtleties that pretty much only matter when you're not randomly losing material with no compensation.

So I would suggest using the free tactics training tool on the site for all they are worth, rated tactics, unrated tactics, puzzle battle, and puzzle rush. When you do the two former, don't worry too much about speed to begin with, try in stead to be as accurate as possible, and try to visualise the whole solution in stead of making what is probably the right move and then pondering the next. If you fail at a puzzle, be sure to try to look at what the solution was, and try to figure out why. The "play against computer" option in the analysis tool is pretty useful for this. Just be sure to set the difficulty to the max.

And should you want more tactics, you can always go to lichess.org. If I'm not mistaken there's no daily limit to how many tactis puzzles you can try there.

Another minor thing: Openings. There's a lot of videos and lessons out there about specific openings and lines, for the time being I suggest you don't think too much about those. Right now, general understanding is way more important than memorisation. The site has a YouTube video about just that, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21L45Qo6EIY

The video also seems to be part of a longer serious, which I haven't checked out yet, but I would guess it's useful too.

Speaking of video series, John Bartholomew, the GM I mentioned, has a series on YouTube called "climbing the rating ladder", which I also heartily recommend. In particular there is a subseries in about tactics puzzles. You can find the series here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl9uuRYQ-6MCBnhtCk_bTZsD8GxeWP6BV. The series is also very helpful in general, I think. The same guy also has a series on chess fundamentals, which I also recommend.

I also hear watching GM streams can be helpful. Lots of GMs host streams where they play games and explain their thought process. You can find them on Twitch or on here.

Finally, play lots of chess. Preferably with longer time controls, so that you actually get to think about what you're doing, and make sure to analyse your games afterwards. Don't go straight to the computer analysis, but try to look through them yourself and figure out where you went wrong, what to do in stead, and put the knowledge to use in later games.

bilalakhtar110

Reminds of the bounty novel and lying from you song 

Bgabor91

Hello,

In my opinion, chess has 4 main territories: openings, strategies, tactics and endgames. You should improve all these territories at the same time, that's how you could increase your level faster. At beginner level, it is also very important to analyse your games deeply and learn from your mistakes. You can do it with chess.com enginges but it is not enough. It can tell you if a move was good or bad, but can't explain why (and which is the good plan behind the moves). You need to do it with a stronger player or a coach. I am an official coach, who can help you with all these territories. If you are interested in working with me, please, check my profile and if my conditions are suitable for you, you can send me a private message.  Here, you can find some feedbacks about my coaching services: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-lessons/feedbacks-from-my-services I am looking forward to your message.

KeSetoKaiba
KingKev52 wrote:

I am not really a coach but I might be able to help you improve your game. 

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