1. Take a deep breath during matches.
2. Always study your opponent's move
3. Always look at the whole board.
4. Before you make a move, check if there is a tactical drawback.
5. Do regular jogging or running as these boost your brain.
6. Eat foods that are good for the brain.
7. Solve easy and hard chess puzzles everyday.
8. 2 hours before a match, eat lightly. Bloated stomach slows downs the brain.
I have played chess for about 9 months, and have proudly reached a rating of about 1600. Obviously, I intend to improve, but it does not seem that my limiting factor is tactical calculation or theoretical knowledge, but rather lack of concentration (mostly in rapid chess), which leads to horrible blunders. Before every game I play, I tell myself to focus and concentrate, but such an obvious task I fail to manage. Does anyone have any tips to avoiding blunders and improving concentration?