Reached a plateau

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mackyboy123

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

Thanks,

kindaspongey

You might want to learn a little more opening stuff. 5...Qd4 would have been appropriate.

kindaspongey

Why did this game stop?

kindaspongey

Why did this game stop?

kindaspongey

You might want to use the computer analysis thing to see some of what you have been missing.

kindaspongey

"... for those that want to be as good as they can be, they'll have to work hard.
Play opponents who are better than you … . Learn basic endgames. Create a simple opening repertoire (understanding the moves are far more important than memorizing them). Study tactics. And pick up tons of patterns. That’s the drumbeat of success. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (December 27, 2018)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/little-things-that-help-your-game
https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-start-out-in-chess

https://www.chess.com/blog/michechess89/8-tips-to-increase-your-online-rating
https://www.chess.com/news/view/a-new-years-resolution-improve-your-chess-with-new-lessons

https://www.chess.com/article/view/mastery-chess-lessons-are-here
"... In order to maximize the benefits of [theory and practice], these two should be approached in a balanced manner. ... Play as many slow games (60 5 or preferably slower) as possible, ... The other side of improvement is theory. ... This can be reading books, taking lessons, watching videos, doing problems on software, etc. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627084053/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf
"... If it’s instruction, you look for an author that addresses players at your level (buying something that’s too advanced won’t help you at all). This means that a classic book that is revered by many people might not be useful for you. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2015)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever
Here are some reading possibilities that I often mention:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5856bd64ff7c50433c3803db/t/5895fc0ca5790af7895297e4/1486224396755/btbtactics2excerpt.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/

https://www.chess.com/blog/ForwardChess/book-of-the-week-openings-for-amateurs
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092617/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review560.pdf

RussBell

Good Positional Chess, Planning & Strategy Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-positional-chess-planning-strategy

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

Marie-AnneLiz
mackyboy123 a écrit :

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

 

Thanks,

Better concentration you hang the bishp then the knight in a few moves in your last game.The game was over in 22 moves;you can do a lot better.

mackyboy123
Marie-AnneLiz wrote:
mackyboy123 a écrit :

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

 

Thanks,

Better concentration you hang the bishp then the knight in a few moves in your last game.The game was over in 22 moves;you can do a lot better.

Yeah, I find that I seem to make a lot of unwarranted blunders. I'm not sure what I can do to help with that.

mackyboy123

Also, I'm not sure how I should analyze my games?

mackyboy123
kindaspongey wrote:

Why did this game stop?

Because I was busy tongue.png

Marie-AnneLiz
mackyboy123 a écrit :
Marie-AnneLiz wrote:
mackyboy123 a écrit :

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

 

Thanks,

Better concentration you hang the bishp then the knight in a few moves in your last game.The game was over in 22 moves;you can do a lot better.

Yeah, I find that I seem to make a lot of unwarranted blunders. I'm not sure what I can do to help with that.

Take the time to look carefully,do not rush any move and ask yourself what in the goal of each move of your opponent.

At higher level very often (1600-1750) even a small mistake and it's over.....

that is how i lost 23 games in the last few weeks.

kindaspongey

Another "busy" loss?

kindaspongey
mackyboy123 wrote:

Also, I'm not sure how I should analyze my games?

It is not ideal, but, for a start, do you know how to access the chess.com computer analysis feature?

benhunt72
mackyboy123 wrote:

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

If you'd like to point me to a game that frustrated you, I'll be happy to do a video analysis for you.

palmRace

https://www.chess.com/club/the-daily-chess-teams-league

gizmo322
mackyboy123 wrote:
kindaspongey wrote:

Why did this game stop?

Because I was busy

I try to never rush myself in a game. I quit playing blitz and went back to classical style. I understand the things i missed because it was me playing the clock not the game. If people wont play 30 min games I figure it's their loss. 

QuantumYankee
mackyboy123 wrote:

I have been playing chess for 2+ years and I seemed to be stuck around 1100. I understand endgames, tactics, some positional concepts, and I am now unsure of how to proceed. Please help me on how I can improve?

 

Thanks,

I saw you understand tactic's but I never heard if you do them the best way to improve is to do tactic's you not only need to understand tactic's but you need to seem them quickly. Focus on playing blitz ( five minute) instead of so much bullet

kindaspongey

"... Sure, fast games are fine for practicing openings (not the most important part of the game for most players) and possibly developing decent board vision and tactical 'shots', but the kind of thinking it takes to plan, evaluate, play long endgames, and find deep combinations is just not possible in quick chess. … for serious improvement ... consistently play many slow games to practice good thinking habits. ... I know that a large percentage of my readers almost exclusively play on the internet - after all, you are reading this on the internet, right!? But there is a strong case for at least augmenting internet play with some OTB play, whether in a club or, better yet, a tournament. ... I would guess that players who have never played OTB usually gain 50-100 points of playing strength just from competing in their first long weekend tournament, assuming they play five or more rounds of very slow chess. ... Don't have two day? Try a one-day quad (a round-robin among four similarly rated players). ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf