How to Progress Starting at 700 elo

So I’ve been playing a lot of chess in the past 3 weeks thanks to Queen’s Gambit and I’m addicted! However I was at about 550 elo 3 weeks ago and I’m currently stuck around 700. I play puzzle rush everyday and do around 25 regular puzzles a day. I also play between 10-20 games a day. I’ve learned a few openings like the London, Caro-Kann, Dutch, Sicilian, and Evans Gambit. I mainly focus on playing 15 minute games to try to take my time but still feel like I’m constantly blundering or hanging pieces or just moving pieces without purpose. Would anyone mind taking a look at a few of my games and give me some pointers or just give me general pointers that helped you?

• Thanks for the advice I’ll try to deploy it in games! And thank you for taking the time to break down a few of my games

I would also play longer games, like at LEAST 30 minutes. At this stage, fast games can't possibly do anything for you, as you're still learning the principles of the game and basic pattern recognition.

You should also make it a point to go over your games and analyze them, especially since you have the help of a computer. Learning the various openings will be of most use when you understand WHY the moves are played. 

Lastly, it's not too early to start studying the endgame. In fact, many will tell you that you should learn endgame theory and tactics first, then middlegame, then opening theory. The point is that you can't expect to play a proper opening unless you know what middlegame you're aiming for, and you can't play a decent middlegame until you know what endgame you're hoping for. And of course, it's easier to learn the art of calculation with just a few pieces on the board, rather than all 32.

 

Hope this helps!

I think the idea of 15 minute games, review, and tactics is a good start. At <1000, many (most?) games are lost on bad material blunders. In the opening, I would focus on opening principles (connect rooks, control center). In the middle and end game I would check every move for threats (captures, checks, attacks on pieces etc.).  Doing so will help eliminate the "obvious" blunders and it will become second nature as you continue to play. Good luck with your chess!

Yes; play slow games to improve, and quick games for fun and to test your improving abilities.

At the 700-1200 level, tactical awareness is the main quality to focus on. Are all of my pieces guarded? What is my opponent threatening? What is he planning? If I move THIS piece, does that un-guard any important squares and allow the opponent to capture something of mine?

25 Regular puzzles, I only get 1 of each a day. Rough. Maybe try playing some blitz games to speed up your vision and play, I stick to the same opening to make myself comfortable and stick with it. I play the bird and know play very similar first moves, and Sicilian (simple dragon stuff, no memorization) and THE FEARED DUTCH DEFENSE!

Hi all. This is all excellent advice. To piggyback on OP's question, I have been hovering around 1000, doing puzzles and a couple 30min games daily which I go back and analyze, but I feel like I am somehow only getting worse? It seems like the more I try to implement  ideas I read or advice I hear, the worse I get. My puzzle rating and Rapid rating have dropped, in spite of the fact that I have never known more about chess, and my head is full of good advice. What am I missing?

I used to teach chess at local clubs.

When a player is learning new concepts, it is quite common for their results to go DOWN temporarily, as they struggle to digest the new ideas and assimilate them into their playing style. After a longer or shorter period of adjustment... its length depending on the particular player's learning style... the results will go back up, to a new high.

Yea you maybe stagnate a while to process the info; it took me a while, and tilting happens (My biggest tilts ; 830s rapid to -700, 1324 rapid to -1199 etc). It took a while to "get" the basics, and now I can process the basics; like the really basic not that well known but. I recommend playing blitz to speed up your vision and thinking speed, maybe stick to a couple opening and you feel around the position and test with the engine for now. I know I need to know more as I grow; but for now I only Play the Bird's eye opening as white and have the move order/s and basic ideas figured out. 

Thanks for the insight. I'm so excited about the idea of getting better it's maddening to feel like I am losing ground in spite of my best efforts, but I will keep at it and try to be patient

Did you only start 6 days ago, it's fine you will get it. You will just naturally just get to +1300 with ease; If you play a lot (I have hundred of games) and get the really basic stuff, like discovered attacks and tactics, like my unlimited puzzle rush highscore is only 27. Without even real study or membership you can do it; just grind and you figure out the patzer skills on your own. I really want an online chess notebook to write down my games, ideas and theory, puzzles etc but I do not thus no study for me.

+1 these helped me shoot pretty high with and with just puzzles alone

You only played 11 games... that is not NEARLY enough to accurately represent your skill. You might still be gravitating towards your actual rank.  Your puzzle rating only went down by a small amount. 

Focus on the long-term you can't try to find patterns where there aren't any.

Play some more games and once you have 30-40 games played see where you are at, then in a month or two thereafter when you hopefully have more 3 times that... see what kind of progress you made and go from there.

You have to assume you were around 700-900 rating anyway and the starting rating of 1200 was too high. Which it is for new players.

phew, id idnt loose 500 since i just learned a new skill, procrastination 

I should note that many of my games are played on my Switch or on a phone app, so in my defense I am drawing from a wider sample than is visible on my profile.

That said, you still make an excellent point and it is well-taken, its quite likely I am just being impatient, expecting dramatic improvement too quickly.

wait you can get chess.com on a nintendo switch??

Not that I am aware, I was saying that I play games of chess with friends on my Switch, and that those games weren't reflected on my profile. I play via Clubhouse Games 51