Getting better with daily games, still awful at faster chess

Been playing regularly for about a year and a half, have steadily improved with daily chess - with time to play out all the scenarios and possibilities (that I actually see), I end up making better moves. With faster chess games, I just don't see what seems obvious until after I make a bad move. Been playing more against the computer, doing puzzles, lessons, etc., to train myself to recognize patterns faster, but still pretty awful at fast chess. I guess I'm wondering if I should just keep playing daily, give myself time to think things out, and trust that that will improve my overall game - or if it's better to refocus on bullet/rapid? Any advice is welcome!

I get that. Not trying to become a serious contender, just really enjoy the game and want to be better at it in general. for personal satisfaction, more than anything. Playing "just for fun" for me IS getting better at it!

But your all time rapid win rate is 73%... I would not call that awful. In fact it is pretty impressive.

That's kind, but half those games were against my friend who doesn't really play chess  I'm mostly gauging my skill with faster games based on my games with bots, mostly - but also realizing after posting this that I'm probably overthinking it and just need to keep playing!

Seems to me that you are playing at two extremes. Daily gives you too much time to find stuff (you also have the luxury of the analysis board.), blitz and bullet don't give you enough time. I would recommend playing some rapid chess, maybe 30 minutes, that way, if you think there is a tactic available you have a few minutes to look for it. You could then play rapid with a faster time control and then blitz as you get more comfortable seeing things.

@BlueHen86, I hadn't thought of playing somewhere in between, thanks for the suggestion!

Daily is great way to gain a deeper understanding of the position.  However, it's not realistic because the allowance of opening book usage as well as having too much time.

The clock is as much part of the game as the board and pieces.  The clock creates pressure.  That's part of game and how you handle it is a reflection of skill.

Your ability to outplay your opponent under the given time control is what determines the winner.  In blitz, you have less time but so do they.  In classical, you have much more time but so does your opponent.  

If you ever plan on playing OTB with or without a clock the expectation will be that you move fairly quickly.  Playing real time controls is the best way to get this experience. 

Chess rewards hard work and preparation.  If you want to save time on the clock prepare more ahead of time.  Study openings, end game technique, and tactics more than your current rating range and you will climb.

Daily chess is like an open book take home exam.  Chess with clocks is a closed book timed exam.  The latter is what chess is really about.

There are almost infinite settings between daily and bullet. 

perhaps a 15 min / side game would give you some time management pressure while allowing you to do something other than react with the first thing your hand decides to play before your brain takes a look. 

Or something faster with fischer clock ... 5 min per side, but add 15 or even 30 seconds every time you move.  Those can end up with more time on the clock than you started with, but the general idea is to not lose on time in a won position, using a smaller increment like 2-5 seconds.  You can play with the idea to see if there is a sweet spot you like. 

#1
"I just don't see what seems obvious until after I make a bad move."
++ It is a matter of mental discipline. You have to split your thinking in two. First you think about your move, you consider candidate moves, you evaluate them, you decide which move you want to play. Then you imagine the move played and you check it is no obvious bad move. Only then you play it.

'if I should just keep playing daily" ++ No. Daily is too inhomogeneous. Some people play 1 game and analyse for hours. Some play dozens at the same time and spend seconds.

"if it's better to refocus on bullet" ++ Decidedly not.

"rapid?" ++ Yes. 15|10 is good.

@livepracticeaccount @jonnin @tygxc - you all answered the question I didn't realize I was trying to ask: I really enjoy going over all the possibilities and figuring out the best moves during daily games, BUT that's not how "real" chess is played, and I want to get better at actually PLAYING CHESS. Appreciate all of these suggestions - will be shifting how I practice. Thanks!

I think of daily as a way to study in a way that is more fun. It’s way more fun to go over opening books while you have a daily game you know you are going to use what you learn in. The knowledge, or at least some of it, will stay in your mind and you will be able to use it later.

Also the in game analysis board, I think of the same way. I first try to figure out the best move, then go to analysis board and see how it looks, consider my opponent’s responses and my responses to those and see if I missed anything. Then I usually try to visualize the move I chose, and the possible responses. I think this will help me think deeper in my future OTB and also rapid and blitz games.

Lastly I want to say that it is very rare an opening stays ”in the book” for very long at the level I am at (1200+). We’re usually out of the opening books within 5 moves, sometimes faster. 5 moves of opening theory is not very much and one can surely learn that for OTB and live games.

In that case

bullet = no chess at all

In that case, hyperbullet is NEGITIVE chess