Im having trouble playing as black

Sort:
Avatar of tomlabbate

I just started playing chess a month ago. A play mostly 10 min rapid games and some 15/10. I´ve played like 600 games. With white i have a 54.9% win and a 39.9% loss rate, but with black i have a 45% win and a 50% loss rate.  The thing is that im starting to loose a lot more as black now that i reached a thousand rating.

I´ve tried the modern defense so as to not get entangled in opening theory and also just applying general opening rules such as trying to control the center, develop all my pieces, castle and attack. Even just mimicking my opponents moves if they are going for something like the italian opening.

I don´t know what to do and its really dragging me down. Can someone give me some tips or something?

FYA: as white i love to play the Trompowsky or the Levitsky attack.

Avatar of jonnin

black losses will be slightly higher; white does have an advantage.  

Try to figure out what is going on by analysis of your games.  Is it the opening, a quick advantage to white, or more long term?  How do you respond to d4 and e4?  e4, black controls the game more than white.  D4, white has a lot going on 

Avatar of laurengoodkindchess

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I'm a chess teacher based in California. To avoid losing more, perhaps  you can memorize the main lines of the Tropowsky and the Levitsky attack.  I also would encourage you to learn some opening traps from these openings.  I would also encourage you to get a coach to go over your games to see why you are losing.  

I hope that this helps.  

Avatar of orlock20

Looking at your games, when you are up in material start trading off pieces. Also pick the same opening and let the computer tell you where you went wrong.

Avatar of Moonwarrior_1

Yeah my black % is like 53 while for white I have 56%

Avatar of shopkins2112
I’m opposite; I have a much higher win % playing as black. I’ve tried to work out why and think (like in life) I’m much more comfortable adapting to situations (being reactive) than creating situations (being proactive) and like enjoy countering what my opponent does. Impressive you’ve got to 1000 rating in a month; I’m still struggling around the 300 rating mark 😂
Avatar of RAU4ever

I briefly looked through some of your last games with black, but I don't think the opening was the cause of any of those losses. It seems that you missed your chance tactically at some points. Maybe right now it's just a feeling but not necessarily true. 

I think it's really good that you play openings based on general principles. I would note, however, that the Modern does have the flaw that it gives white a chance to take the center. As a beginning player, maybe it would be easier to try and make sure that your opponent does not get both e4 and d4 in by playing a pawn move at the first move. After that just try and develop as actively as you can while keeping an eye on your control of the center.

Avatar of tomlabbate

Thank you everyone for the answers, ill try to analyze my games then and see where did they gone wrong.

Avatar of tomlabbate
RAU4ever wrote:

I briefly looked through some of your last games with black, but I don't think the opening was the cause of any of those losses. It seems that you missed your chance tactically at some points. Maybe right now it's just a feeling but not necessarily true. 

I think it's really good that you play openings based on general principles. I would note, however, that the Modern does have the flaw that it gives white a chance to take the center. As a beginning player, maybe it would be easier to try and make sure that your opponent does not get both e4 and d4 in by playing a pawn move at the first move. After that just try and develop as actively as you can while keeping an eye on your control of the center.

Thank you a lot for taking your time in this. Ill take a look into them and see what i missed.

Avatar of tomlabbate
shopkins2112 wrote:
I’m opposite; I have a much higher win % playing as black. I’ve tried to work out why and think (like in life) I’m much more comfortable adapting to situations (being reactive) than creating situations (being proactive) and like enjoy countering what my opponent does. Impressive you’ve got to 1000 rating in a month; I’m still struggling around the 300 rating mark 😂

Well if i am honest im spending waaaaay too much time in chess, it became addictive. Gothamchess in youtube helped me a lot too.

And about your first point, yeah it may be that im more confortable taking the iniciative than having to respond to whites threats, i hope i can get used to playing black tho.

Avatar of tomlabbate
orlock20 wrote:

Looking at your games, when you are up in material start trading off pieces. Also pick the same opening and let the computer tell you where you went wrong.

Yeah ill try analyzing more games, thank you.

Avatar of tomlabbate
jonnin wrote:

black losses will be slightly higher; white does have an advantage.  

Yeah i was expecting a difference but 10% seems like a lot.

Avatar of Shizuko

Maybe try playing the sicillian? Just find a good opening, and learn about it grin.png.

Avatar of ThinWhiteDuke85

I have won most of my games as Black. I prefer to play 30 minute per side games as this gives you more time to consider moves. 

Perhaps you could play some of the bots to help improve without any time or real opponent pressure? 

Avatar of tomlabbate
QuickV wrote:

Maybe try playing the sicillian? Just find a good opening, and learn about it .

I accidently played the sicillian a couple of times (was going for Kings Indian Defense but my opponent made some unusual movements and the engine said that it was a sicillian defense position) and was quite fun. Maybe ill check it out.

Avatar of blueemu

Nearly all of my most interesting (and best) games were with the Black pieces.

I play the Najdorf and the King's Indian (Panno) Defense.

Avatar of tomlabbate
ThinWhiteDuke85 wrote:

Perhaps you could play some of the bots to help improve without any time or real opponent pressure? 

I play bots often, in fact ive beaten all but the last adaptative one, all the beginner and intermediate level. The first advanced bot is a hard nut to crack for me tho.

Avatar of Shizuko

sicillian: e4, c5...