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Struggling to get to 300 ELO

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Vertemes

I've been trying to get to 300 ELO using the advice you guys have given me (common sense, checklist, other things) but for some reason I fluctuate between 260-280 ELO. I know I suck and I really don't feel like trying to grind to 2200 ELO if I'm stuck at this level.

Can anyone practice, train, or tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Duckfest

You aren't struggling yet. You have just started playing. Chess is not an easy game to master, but the following should help you.

The most common challenges at your level are:

  • Failing to do a blunder check
  • Not following Opening Principles
  • Playing too fast and not using your time as a resource effectively

Blunder check - The easiest way to improve is by not making simple, yet unnecessary, blunders. If you can make an effort each move to make sure you aren’t blundering your Queen will be enough to drastically improve your winrate.

Opening principles - Learn the basic opening principles:

  • Control the center
  • Develop your pieces early
  • Castle early
  • Don’t move the same pieces twice, get all your prices out
  • Don’t bring out your Queen too early
  • Don’t forget to develop your Rooks as well
  • Don’t open up the center while your King is not yet castled (or safe).

There are plenty of resources available to learn more about them (like this one). After looking at several of your games I noticed a) you play too many pawn moves in the opening, b) you play with too much forward momentum, neglecting the rest of your development.

Time management - Take more time for each move. Don't just play random moves. You don't have the experience and insights yet to play moves in just a couple of seconds. Follow a basic decision making process. Take a moment to look at what your opponent is doing, check what moves you can play, consider the options. and pick the best one.

Time is resource you should use it as such. You shouldn’t lose games with more than 7 or 8 minutes left on the clock, especially not in the first 10 moves.


You can literally pick any of your games and you'll see that you didn't pay enough attention to these 3 aspects. But I can assure you, once you do, you'll get better rapidly.

Good luck!

WholeLottaHoka

I'm new too.. it took me a long time to get to 620. I felt like I was playing intense matches even at like 400. But not that my advice is worth much but..

WholeLottaHoka

I was playing moves too fast and not thinking about the immediate move or response after. I also was playing 10 min games and almost always ran out of time on good games. Switching to 15+ my rank went up much faster. But yea its a bit of a grind down here on the bottom lol... I will say every +100 elo so far the game gets more fun and I understand more. Keep at it dude maybe we'll be up there one day

harmelessfrog

Play longer games... Rapid games... don't move instantly... think at least 5 seconds...

KeSetoKaiba
Vertemes wrote:

I've been trying to get to 300 ELO using the advice you guys have given me (common sense, checklist, other things) but for some reason I fluctuate between 260-280 ELO. I know I suck and I really don't feel like trying to grind to 2200 ELO if I'm stuck at this level.

Can anyone practice, train, or tell me what I'm doing wrong?

We can play unrated live chess sometime if you like, but you are probably just lacking some fundamentals if you are struggling to cross 300 on chess.com; one of these fundamentals is chess "opening principles" for the opening stage of the game: https://www.chess.com/blog/KeSetoKaiba/opening-principles-again

As for the endgame, it is mostly practicing the common (theoretical) endgames and checkmate patterns and for the middlegame, I mostly recommend just solving tactics puzzles at first. The middlegame is one of the most complicated parts of chess, but tactics will help you find ways to win material at this level and is probably time well invested for learning.

Also, who says anything about grinding to 2200 rating? I wouldn't limit yourself by thinking of rating goals. Just enjoy the chess journey and keep learning and improving. The rating numbers will figure themselves out.

TheMightyBing

First of all, 2200 rating on this site in rapid is a good goal. I would like you to get to 1000 then 1500 then 2000 then 2200 rating. Smaller goals at a time first then one another step at step as climbing a mountain. A chess training routine or a training buddy in chess can help you improve a lot in chess. Coaching is another option but if you don't have any money to afford a coach, I am sure there are also free coaches around on discord. At your chess level 300 elo in rapid on chess.com, I think you should focus tatics and middlegame and tiny bit of basic endgame knowledge. You should also follow the chess principles and no need to study openings right now. Some instructive Content on YouTube like Danya, chess vibes, John bartho, gm ben finegold lectures, and others. Cool tip is you can also ask Chatgypt for help on chess materials.

hellomynameisblahblahblah

hi

RussBell

Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond

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

Xboxsup2

Bruh i cant even get 200 elo 😭

LOSTATCHESS

hey i would like to get to 200 also being stuck at the bottom day after day is very ---welll-- depressing -so 300 to me would be ilike icing on the cake - keep it up more puzzles more reading and maybe try that web site that other player mentioned -- iam going to look into it

ppandachess

Hi there,

I am rated over 2400 online (https://www.chess.com/member/ppandachess). I created a free course that will teach you a training plan to improve. Feel free to check it out: https://www.panda-chess.com/daily-improvement-plan

Loki_god_of_deception

Last year of November I was 200 ELO. now im 1000 plus

CaribbeanQueensGambit
It took me almost a year to get to 400 ELO. Be patient with yourself and don’t quit. I’ve easily played thousands of games. You’ll get there. Good luck!
Skye_1983

it is about being serious, play a lot of tactics and read the comments on that tactic/s . . . reading comments on a game or a tactic will help you . . .

ectecnae

🫠

Rifleman303

Play rapid games, solve puzzles, and attempt drills. These will make your calculation, time management and position mastery very enhanced. Also, don't forget to play bots in challenge mode.

magipi
Vertemes wrote:

I've been trying to get to 300 ELO using the advice you guys have given me (common sense, checklist, other things) but for some reason I fluctuate between 260-280 ELO.

You say that you try to do all these things but your games say otherwise.

https://www.chess.com/game/live/122400245267?username=vertemes

This is a 54-move game that you finished with more time that than you started with. You just play semi-random moves in 2-5 seconds no matter what happens.

Instead, try to use your time and think. Try to find good moves. Before you play a move, double-check it to make sure that it isn't some silly one-move blunder.

ChessMasteryOfficial

Learn and apply the most important principles of chess. - (core of my teaching)
Always blunder-check your moves.
Solve tactics in the right way.
Analyze your games.
Study games of strong players.
Learn how to be more psychologically resilient.
Work on your time management skills.
Get a coach if you can.

Jaydensucksatches

When you move, try to see if it’s a blunder or not. Also try to analyze your moves