17yo from Korea: Tired of "Just Puzzles." I need real chess guidance.

Hi everyone,

I’m a 17-year-old student from South Korea who is absolutely in love with chess. Currently, I’m solving over 60 puzzles every day on Lichess to improve my tactics.

However, I’ve hit a serious wall. In Korea, most advice for beginners is just "Watch opening videos" or "Keep solving puzzles." But to be honest, it doesn't help me at all in real games. I can handle the first few moves of an opening, but after that, I’m completely lost. I don't know which pieces are important in the position, what plan I should make, or how to actually play the game.

I feel like I’m just moving pieces without a soul.

If there is anyone who could guide me through this fog, I would be incredibly grateful. You don’t have to spend hours on me—even just giving me homework or a direction to study would mean the world to me. I promise to be the most hardworking student you’ve ever seen.

I will never forget your kindness if you could help me grow as a chess player. Please send me a message or leave a comment.

Thank you for reading!