Why am I so bad?

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Avatar of GDZzZ

I started playing chess with interest in theory about 2 weeks ago. For the past week I've been putting in at least a half hour a day of pure tactics training as per suggestion to another player. I feel lost and I don't know what I can do to make my game better. I'm at a breaking point where I want to give up because it seems like I'll never get anywhere even though I love playing. I just want to know where I'm going wrong in my game because I look at it and I can't tell what I'm doing wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Avatar of Stylish_Player

Then I think you need someone to help you. I am a chess coach and very willing to help you with improving your skills. I do it via skype and chess.com. Please message me if interested.

Avatar of JamesColeman

I think YOU need to spamming so many threads with your offers of "coaching"

Avatar of nartreb

Two whole weeks? Yeah, you should be at least a national master by now...

The good news is that when you take some time to think you only rarely make the kind of catastrophic errors that one often sees in 1000-level players.  Mostly you're just going down a pawn or two at at time.  (Sometimes you simply neglect to capture a hanging pawn, so you give up an advantage for no reason.) Still, the change that will most improve your game is if you NEVER drop a piece.  See move 29 in your game against apodgajnyj, for example.  You should have won that game. Tactics training will certainly help teach you what to look for, but the main thing is to STOP and LOOK before each move.

Avatar of GDZzZ

I'm not expecting to be a national master haha. I just hate losing and losing so much lately has just irritated me and I was just frustated because I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I appreciate the analysis though!

Avatar of MSteen

Someone once asked Karpov how to become a skilled player. His reply was simple: "Seek out stronger players and lose several thousand games."

Now, the quote may not be accurate, and the story may well be apocryphal, but the lesson is clear. You will lose thousands of games as a chess player, but if you play them seriously and look at them afterwards, you will improve.

Use the game explorer feature here on chess.com to look at literally thousands of master games, or go over to chessgames.com to look at more thousands of master games. Purchase Chervev's "Logical Chess Move by Move" and STUDY it.

Remember, the only way not to lose is to play (much) weaker opponents. It may make you feel better to win for a while, but over time it's like spending your whole life skiing on the bunny slope: You never fall, but it's not much of a thrill after a while.

Avatar of wrathss

what openings do you play? just tactics training is surely not enough as chess is much more than pure tatics.

post your games so we can help you.

Avatar of ewq85

Two weeks in is nothing don't freak out. I see you only played one standard and rest blitz. Play long games so you can actually learn the game and think about your moves. We all sucked two weeks in, chill😎

Avatar of DrSpudnik

Not a GM after two weeks? What's wrong with you?!?

Avatar of TheRodgerYoung

Don't fret, OP. It usually takes about two months of putting in an hour a week of study and playing to reach Master level.

okay, joking aside...

I was pretty terrible starting out, too. (some would argue that I still am) All I recommend doing is playing Tactics Trainer and 20-minute (minimum) games until you don't drop pieces in most of your games. Then buy The Amateur's Mind and read it. Then play more Tactics Trainer. :D

Avatar of GDZzZ

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate all the advice. I normally play a Ruy Lopez when I open with white and either a French or Sicilian Defense. Definitely going to stick to longer games, I started playing more turn based games now but I will definitely start looking at the Standard.

Avatar of OldChessDog

2 weeks!?