Let’s talk about beginner’s progression

I’m a (nearly) brand new ADULT player. Been playing for about 4 months seriously now, but have known how to play and very basic tactics/strategy for about 5 years now.

My chess.com ranking hovers around 900 (up from about 500 when I started).

One issue I continuously run into is trying to find videos for sub 1,000 players. Generally they’re geared towards very young kids, and only talk about the very basics like how pieces move.

Most the players I’m against know theory about 3-5 moves deep at rank 900... no matter what I open with. It seems most chess lessons are divided into two categories.... those below 1800 (which are patronizingly basic) and those above.

What’s with the discrepancy?

Does anyone have any resources on how to improve?

I know how the pieces move, but I’m not ready for GM level strategy lessons. It seems there’s no inbetween.

Does anyone else who was in my position have advice?

Hi,

Chess Vibes channel I believe is geared towards <1200 rated players if I recall his interview he gave on Perpetual Podcast that I listened to earlier this year. I can't vouch for his presentation or content itself, but you may want to check it out. That said, I'd recommend looking for specific content you want to learn and then find videos for that content. For example, let's say you want to learn endgames better and decide counting squares in pawn races with seconds left on the clock is frustratingly tedious and impractical so you want to learn the square of the pawn concept- you can google videos for that and likely find something that explains it in a way that makes sense to you. Or if you're wanting to learn a specific opening better, you can google that opening and find video(s) that you find understandable on that. I found that to be more effective to me when I've decided to watch video content on chess than anything else, although I admit I find watching video's far less effective to learning chess as it is more passive than active learning. That said if you're looking for ideas on what to learn at your level that can be done by reviewing your games and finding trends in your mistakes, or possibly asking others to look at your game history and help determine areas you could improve on. Generally, improving your ability to keep your pieces safe and exploiting your opponent's mistakes, whether by improving your tactical awareness or improving your ability to evaluate positions and come up with appropriate plans, is going to improve your chess skill. However, players often need more specific training and content to learn to do those things more effectively. 

Hope you are able to find what you're looking for and all the best in your chess journey.

-Jordan

Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

For 800-1300ish Just play 60/0 games (one a day ideally) and before making each move, write down at least 3 candidate moves, then consider all 3 and pick the best. Check for blunders, check for elementary tactics. You need to get your brain used to looking at the board. Get it used to always considering candidate moves. Break the blunder barrier/improve your board vision. Whatever you want to call it.

Until that happens you'll be losing on outright blunders, like leaving pieces under attack or missing elementary tactics. No videos or books will help because they will be addressing other elements of the game.

Solve mate in 1 and mate in 2 puzzles. You want the typical basic mating patterns etched on your eye retina.

From 1200-1300 onwards it's intensive tactics training, that for an adult with a job and a family is borderline impossible to do in a timely manner, unless you're exceptionally gifted. Realistic improvement with classical time controls for a typical "oldie" from 1500 onwards is about 100-150 rating points per year of hard work, or so I am told. Simple lack of time and old-dogs-new-tricks scenario.

Also, Yusupov has a 9-year course for adult amateurs that does a great job in filling blanks in your chess education at an affordable pace.

@1

"My chess.com ranking hovers around 900"
++ A rating of 900 is a sign of frequent blunders. Always check your intended move is no blunder before you play it. Hang no pieces, hang no pawns. That little mental discipline is enough to get to 1500.

"trying to find videos" ++ Videos are not useful. You cannot learn to swim, to ride a bicycle or to drive a car from videos. You have to do it.

"Most the players I’m against know theory about 3-5 moves" ++ Does not matter at all.

"Does anyone have any resources on how to improve?" ++ Chess Fundamentals - Capablanca

I am coaching elementary school kids in chess and am an adult improver as well. 
I really recommend watching the 10 day challenge from chessfox at your level.
Start from day 1 again after finishing until you understand the concepts.
https://chessfox.com/10-day-chess-challenge-day-1/

For tactics I recommend a tactics course written by an adult improver and Chessable has made me learn them by heart. This is the one I am still using (and easiest one I bought):
Common Chess Patterns by Benedictine
https://www.chessable.com/common-chess-patterns/course/13348/

For endgames I did some exercises online, but now I really liked Yasser Seirawans Winning Chess Endings:
https://www.chessable.com/winning-chess-endings/course/59602/

When you do not make blunders I recommend to start reading a strategy book such as The Reasses Your Chess Workbook. It is also good solving harder tactics problems to work on your calculation skills. 

Based on the two above I developed my own thought process first on opponent then self:
a) Which pieces can make a forcing checkmate (calculate until no more forcing moves)
a) Which pieces can check the King in up to three moves.
b) Which pieces can we win the Queen in up to two moves.
c) Is there any pawns on the 6th or 7th rank able to promote?
d) Which pieces can win a rook in up to two moves.
e) Which plans are there for each minor piece to make it superior to the other ones.
f) Check everything related to pawns not on the 6th or 7th rank.

For openings just try to emulate the best moves the computer recommend using analyze. If you lose in the opening then try to understand why you lost. Try to make your minor pieces active and castle the King. I do not recommend watching videos on openings on your level.

drenigoln wrote:

I’m a (nearly) brand new ADULT player. Been playing for about 4 months seriously now, but have known how to play and very basic tactics/strategy for about 5 years now.

My chess.com ranking hovers around 900 (up from about 500 when I started).

One issue I continuously run into is trying to find videos for sub 1,000 players. Generally they’re geared towards very young kids, and only talk about the very basics like how pieces move.

Most the players I’m against know theory about 3-5 moves deep at rank 900... no matter what I open with. It seems most chess lessons are divided into two categories.... those below 1800 (which are patronizingly basic) and those above.

What’s with the discrepancy?

Does anyone have any resources on how to improve?

I know how the pieces move, but I’m not ready for GM level strategy lessons. It seems there’s no inbetween. https://routerlogin.uno/

Does anyone else who was in my position have advice?

I got this,..