What should I learn at 360 to get to 500 ?

I spoke to a beginning chess player the other day and was surprised to find that they didn't know the relative value of the chess pieces (knight=bishop=3 pawns, rook=5 pawns, queen=9 pawns - these are approximate but will do for now). You need to know this or you will lose a lot.

learn a simple opening for white e.g. London, Vienna and for black Scandinavian, Caro kann

Also do tons of puzzles they help

If you want to *get* to 500, you just need to follow a couple of rules -- the primary one, as @Viznik wrote: don't hang pieces.  The next couple of rules are very general, but for 500 and below work fine: develop pieces, take your opponent's hanging pieces (he suggests that if your opponent is also in the under 500 group, then if your opponent's piece is available, just take it without thinking, because your opponent is probably not using a "tactic" or intentionally sacrificing a piece), if you have a choice in a pawn capture, take towards the center, towards the end of your game, get your king active.

GM Amin Hambleton has a quite humorous (but serious) series devoted specifically to using these rules only (sometimes to his detriment, but the point is to turn these principles into habits).  (It's geared towards the younger crowd -- not exactly my cup of tea -- but I found them interesting enough, and I think useful enough for the under 500 group, to bookmark them just for threads like this)

What he does is set up a new account starting at level 400, and plays some fast games with others rated in that area, and he narrates as he's playing.  

BUILDING HABITS to improve your chess | 0-500 ELO

BUILDING HABITS FULL VERSION (400 ELO)

Edit: I see he has a sequel

BUILDING HABITS to improve your chess | 500-700 ELO

     Realize that 500, or 800, or 1000 is still a low rating. Learning some opening traps or spending a few more seconds per move won't make a lot of difference in your playing strength. Playing hundreds of blitz games won't make you a good player. Take the advice of the other posters here who tell you to play slower games so you learn how to evaluate positions and choose good moves. Books for inexperienced players are very helpful--some have been mentioned here, and Tarrasch's "The Game of Chess" and Capablanca's "A Primer of Chess" and "Chess Fundamentals" have simple explanations of what a couple the strongest players ever think are the most important things a player needs to know.

     If you're just interested in a fun way to spend a few hours during the covid lockdowns you can disregard most of the advice here but if you find chess to be as enjoyable and fascinating as most of us here do, learn a little, play a little and over time you will become a decent player. It won't be quick--chess IS difficult--but playing well is its own reward.

Ooooohhh, why didn't I think of that? With this genius advice I could beat Magnus Carlsen! I'll credit you in my autobiaugrophy.

sorry

-happypi314 2021

learn to folk and dont just play moves cos thats the next move in your game watch what you opponent does and react you have to understand your opening moves and why your doing them i found i liked kings pawn then kings knight and bishop to the center gave me a good chance of getting that knight to do alot of damage at 350 to 500 lvl

bruh

I just only quoted the best part ;D

._. sure