Stuck at 400 ELO and I've been playing for a year.

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Avatar of eric0022
BenStegeman wrote:
This is all good info. Genuine thanks to you all for putting in the effort to analyze my games. I do see my game improving already. Maybe the blunders really are a big issue.

All that said...is no one surprised at how well some of my 300-400 opponents are playing?

Part of my frustration is that I was told anyone under 600 doesn't even know how the pieces move.

 

Nah...they are just trying to make a point that players under a rating of 600 don't usually perform very well relative to more experienced ones.

 

In reality, a player who does not even know much of chess beyond the basics are likely rated under 200, considering the fact that the rating floor on this site is 100.

 

In this site, the rating spectrum for games varies from 100 to 3000+, with the median or average rating probably being 900. Even if you were to lose your games, they probably won't go down much. But when you do win...a whole new level of rating awaits you.

 

As a reasonable start, you could train up some basic tactics...or reward yourself with a chocolate for every five games you play with no more than three hanging pieces in each game. It's too much to ask for zero hanging pieces for now, but I'm sure that keeping your hanging pieces count to three or fewer in games is achievable most of the time.

Avatar of Paleobotanical
BenStegeman wrote:
Part of my frustration is that I was told anyone under 600 doesn't even know how the pieces move.

 

The comment I quoted there is just someone being hyperbolic.

I agree with the suggestion that some tactical practice would do some good.  Try spending some time doing puzzles!  They at least will reward looking at every piece on the board to see what it's doing.  As a Diamond member, you can try as many puzzles as you want.

Puzzles and tactical practice don't really directly address blunders, but they do encourage greater board awareness, and you'll only have to think "Oh damn I missed that bishop/rook across the board" a few times before you start looking for bishops and rooks across the board.

If you do this, don't let the timer stress you out.  Just take the time you need to figure out what you think are the best moves.

Edit:  A thing that can be really great for puzzles is to go to the main Puzzles page, choose Custom Puzzles, check all themes, clear out the rating range, and from the drop-down menu labeled "include," choose "Puzzles I have failed."  Then, you can JUST practice the ones you missed.  If you fail them again, look at the solution, then choose Restart Puzzle and play them five or ten times over and over again.  You'll find your tactics will improve.

Avatar of shiro9neko

Yea im ngl 400-500 players are not just "know the rules of chess" level like everyone says they are but they still occasionally blunder and hang their pieces (just like me) :C. 

Avatar of GeorgeWyhv14

Just play obvious moves instead of looking for tactics.

Avatar of hrarray
CooloutAC I’m pretty sure average rating on chess.Com is like 950.
Avatar of hrarray
I think you should look for simple tactics like forks and pins. Before every move try to see if any of your opponents pieces are hanging and make sure you don’t hang your own pieces. Try to look at the whole board and also see what your opponent is trying to do.
Avatar of PsychoPanda13

Hey @ItsMaddening and @CooloutAC I managed to get to 1200 rapid in around a year and I am trying to devise some kind of plan to help others get the same type of improvement. Shoot me a DM if you want to talk it over more, if you want I can walk you guys through some ideas for improvement

 

Avatar of kvasir3

The OP is already asking how to get past 700

how-do-you-push-past-700-elo

Avatar of ChessButGreek

Hello friend! There are a lot of ways you can improve in chess. If you are interested we could start lessons together!

Avatar of Devill090
tygxc wrote:

#1
"I've been 400-500 after a year of playing."
A rating of 400 - 500 is a sign of frequent blunders.
Always check your intended move is no blunder before you play it.
Sit on your hands.
Hang no pieces, hang no pawns and you are 1500 overnight.

 

 

 

i hang no piece , and I m 300 for 5 years. 

Give some practical advice

Avatar of magipi
Devill090 wrote:i hang no piece , and I m 300 for 5 years. 

Give some practical advice

Here's some practical advice: let go of your illusion that you don't hang pieces and face the reality.

Here's a random game where you hang a knight on move 10:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/44677769181?username=devill090

Another random game, you hang a rook on move 15:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/44677153153?username=devill090

Avatar of Paleobotanical
magipi wrote:
Devill090 wrote:i hang no piece , and I m 300 for 5 years. 

Give some practical advice

Here's some practical advice: let go of your illusion that you don't hang pieces and face the reality.

 

 

Oh man, you beat me to it!

Avatar of InsertInterestingNameHere
shiro9neko wrote:

Yea im ngl 400-500 players are not just "know the rules of chess" level like everyone says they are but they still occasionally blunder and hang their pieces (just like me) :C. 

occasionally?

Avatar of shiro9neko
InsertInterestingNameHere wrote:
shiro9neko wrote:

Yea im ngl 400-500 players are not just "know the rules of chess" level like everyone says they are but they still occasionally blunder and hang their pieces (just like me) :C. 

occasionally?

my bad :3 

 

Avatar of laurengoodkindchess

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a respected  chess coach and chess YouTuber who helps beginners out : 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5SPSG_sWSYPjqJYMNwL_Q

Here’s some ideas to help you get better.  

 

-If you are serious about chess, I highly recommend you hiring a chess coach to help you.  

-Also consider all checks and captures on your side and also your opponent’s side. Always as, “If I move here, where is my opponent going to move?”. Do this for every single move!  

-Strive to never make any silly mistakes!  If you continue to do this, you will have a very hard time getting to the next level in chess.  

-Play with a slow time control, such as G/30 so you have plenty of time to think before every move. 

-You are welcome to come to my free online beginner chess class on May 14:  

-Feel free to ask my question on my live chess livestream Youtube channel, every Sunday from 1-2pm PST.  

Avatar of Devill090
magipi wrote:
Devill090 wrote:i hang no piece , and I m 300 for 5 years. 

Give some practical advice

Here's some practical advice: let go of your illusion that you don't hang pieces and face the reality.

Here's a random game where you hang a knight on move 10:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/44677769181?username=devill090

Another random game, you hang a rook on move 15:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/44677153153?username=devill090

It's rare thing. Time constraint. Its not 300-400 people go straight to hang every piece they have.

Avatar of Devill090
Paleobotanical wrote:
magipi wrote:
Devill090 wrote:i hang no piece , and I m 300 for 5 years. 

Give some practical advice

Here's some practical advice: let go of your illusion that you don't hang pieces and face the reality.

 

 

Oh man, you beat me to it!

Don't beat ur meat on ur m0m's panties .

Avatar of ChessButGreek

Hello, o believe with proper training the "average human" with an 1-2 hours training 5 times per week can reach 1500 (maybe all the way to 1800-2000!). It is not that difficult to become decent, it is very difficult to become professional! As a chess coach i can assure you that reaching your goals is very possible!

Avatar of ChessButGreek

I have helped tons of students to improve in the past and i will do it for years to come!

Avatar of technical_knockout

do puzzles until you never hang a piece because you 'didn't see it'.

that alone should easily get you to 1000.