What is your Process to Improve Your Game?

I just joined Chess.com last week to help improve my game. I am still working out how to best use my games here for learning. So far, here is my process,

1. Play no more that 4 or 5 games at a time so that I can give them all a serious effort
2. In order to improve my openings, after about 4 moves, I check which opening this is, read about it's strengths and weaknesses and see if I or my opponent have gone off book yet. The rules say this is okay, but I might start doing this either later in the game or after the game. Thoughts?
3. I make liberal use of the analysis board and the notes to write down what I think my opponent will play and what my responses will be.
4. Wherever I have trouble with a move or get myself into trouble, I leave notes to come back after the game and analyze what I did wrong and try to come up with a better alternative.
5. Post game, I export the PNG and import it into ChessMaster for analysis. I then go back to my notes and re-analyze where I indicated in my notes or where my predictions didn't match up with the subsequent play.
6. Lastly, I use Chess.com's analysis or ChessMaster to go through the game and see where the computer thinks I could have done better.

How do other people use their games to learn? Do you think that I am being too analytical and I should spend more time playing? Is there anything else I should be doing during or after my games?

1. Thoroughly learn 2 opening with white and with black.

2. Chess Mentor

3. CT-Art 3.0

4. Self analysis of my own games

5. Play over Grandmaster games

Hi guys,

In my opinion, the #1 thing you can do to improve your game is to play opponents that are better than you.  I firmly believe that you learn much more from a loss than from a win.  The #2 thing you can do to improve your game is to play ... anyone.  The #3 thing would be to practice tactics, tactics and more tactics.  Yes, opening knowlege and endgame knowlege help, but tactics decide 90%+ of chess games.

Watch your backrank.

 I see nothing wrong with your guidelines. Mine are very similar. The suggestions from previous posts are also excellent! Always challenge yourself by playing stronger players. Even your losses will prove beneficial in developing a stronger game.

 I study openings for the purpose of learning their weaknesses & developing a variety of strong (off-textbook) counters. Its good to put your own twist into the game by going for control of space on the board with the proper development of your pawns & pieces (which is key), and staying unpredictable. Think both short & long-term strategies & tactics with each move. Never be afraid to sacrifice if it means gaining greater control of the board for mate. Always stay on the offensive, even when retreating or repositioning your pieces.

 I usually play no more than 5 games at one time...but will make room for 1 or 2 more if there are some extremely slow ones in progress...can't afford to burn what's left of my brain out.

~The Doctor

1. What do you mean for this? Do you mean I should study two openings down to a certain depth? Does this include all variations on that opening?
2. Is Chess Mentor worth the extra cost? I find the lessons in ChessMaster Art of Learning to be very useful. Is Chess Mentor a worthwhile addition to that?
3. Thanks for the recommendation on Chess Tactics Art 3.0. It looks good. Has anyone else used it?
4. How do you analyze your own games? What tools do you use?
5. Good idea.

I really learned a lot with the Chessmaster Grandmaster edition. There are three learning academies that are like sitting in a classroom. Beside that I just discuss and learn prom players better than me.

Tactics Trainer all the way

play over grandmaster games sounds good

just play, learn from your mistakes, we have played and you see I am not so bad, I don't over analyze, I go with what works, remember the basics is simply all ya gotta do...no trainer or studying will guarantee anything...keep mistakes to nil and you'll win, first person who errs will lose...simple

all of this is good, but they should take only 20% of your time at this level. 80% should be spent for studying tactics.