The Way of the Goldfish: A simple method for beginners to improve rapidly!

I think this may be the single most valuable tip I can offer beginners and improving players.

Most of the mistakes that cause frustration are due to simply not being aware of everything that is going on on the board. This "goldfish" technique will help you to slow down and simply make fewer errors!

Thanks very much for this, Ben.  Exactly what I need to move myself from mid-900s doldrums into 4-figure territory...!

Great stuff Ben, keep going!

Thanks guys. I think this is crucial for people who are at the stage of trying to cut out blunders (me included).

mindful chess.  Interesting practice, I like it a lot, it makes total sense.

One of those things that you need to hear from someone else for it to stick.

thanks Ben,, great video

try this link to the YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib4KyTGjDcs&ab_channel=ChessBootCamp

Thanks, Ben!

Ben, another great video, I enjoy watching them daily. not sure if it was this one or another but the coffee cup is huge

Thank you for posting this very useful video. I will try to incorporate your method into my own play. My problem is that for several decades I had a career that required a particular type of mental focus that is exactly the opposite of what I need to play chess. 

Your advice to move past what happened before and see the entire board as it is now, for your current move, is simple, but very good advice. I will try to use it.

thank you :)

I'm more of a codfish kind of guy.

Thanks. Can this method be applied to shorter games such as rapid 10 mins or 15/10?

Intresting 

And beginners definitely have time for this in a rapid/blitz game. jk.

Beginners especially should play slow-paced games to improve their understanding of the game. This will certainly help them.

Definitely 15+10, and probably 10-minute as well, assuming you can do it fairly quickly. Bottom line is this: you should be doing this consciously until such a time as you can do it more automatically. And the simple fact is you need time in which to do that.

I always play longer games. The only games I have played here are 3-day move games. I need time to think--I'm just too old to feel anything but anxiety trying to play rapid games, live games, blitz or any of that stuff. 

My difficulty is that after the first few moves my game just falls apart. I have a lot of trouble "seeing" the board, seeing what my opponent is trying to do, implementing a coherent plan of my own. 

Your method is quite simple, and *should* be a matter of common sense, but it is something I have to make a real effort to implement because of the way I applied my mind to my old career. I have to adjust my way of thinking. 

I even have trouble doing "easy" level puzzles, especially those that ask you to figure out "mate in 3 moves" or "find the best move." I get frustrated very, very quickly. My old brain is just tired. 

Antonin1957, I actually struggle with daily formats, because I lose my feel for the flow of the game. I think that daily can actually help with the goldfish discipline, in principle, as you approach the board with a fresh perspective each time. It's odd that I find it harder than rapid.