Blitz

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Avatar of briandesdet

   For those blitz experts out there, is there any technique or something that makes you better, or getting better at it? Just curious because I read something saying that good players at blitz are really good at standard chess or something.

  Though I knew a friend that is good at it but doesn't seem to also be good at the standard. So my first theory might have too much flaws, yep.

Avatar of notmtwain
briandesdet wrote:

   For those blitz experts out there, is there any technique or something that makes you better, or getting better at it? Just curious because I read something saying that good players at blitz are really good at standard chess or something.

  Though I knew a friend that is good at it but doesn't seem to also be good at the standard. So my first theory might have too much flaws, yep.

 

This is a question that gets asked almost every day.  Hundreds of posts have examined this subject from every conceivable angle. There is nothing new that can be said. Therefore, why not look at the previous posts?:

http://www.chess.com/forum/search?keyword=improve+blitz

Avatar of u0110001101101000

[edit, by the way, chess.com blitz ratings are almost universally lower than chess.com standard ratings, so you shouldn't worry about 1200 vs 800 for example. That's actually expected]

My (very basic) tips would be:

Play a few games at the same time control every day (3/0 or 5/0 or whatever your blitz preference is). This gives you a good feel for when you're playing too fast or too slow. Ideally it's a lot like a regular game and you use most of your time by the end of the game. You don't want to play too fast or too slow.

This also means not getting caught up in your opponent's pace. If they play fast or slow don't copy them.

Know the openings you play very well. Every time you were unsure about the opening it's essential that you look it up. This may mean taking a small break after every game for the first few weeks at least.

For lower rated players who face openings with essentially random moves, be sure you were following the principals. Claim some center, develop quickly (don't initiate many captures), castle to safety, and ONLY AFTER THAT try to attack.

That's the basics... other than being good at chess in general of course! My tips are to help a player acclimate to the time control. If you're already acclimated and you want to improve, then you should improve at chess in general. Books, videos, tournament games, all the usual advice applies here.

Avatar of AIM-AceMove

Yes there is - Play fast. Yesterday i enouter player you gave me the best words - Dude how can you be so fast, i cant keep up its amazing.. LOL.

So watch videos how master play and copy paste, move quick and there you go.

Avatar of Ziryab

I play blitz reasonably well until I'm close to getting my rating to a decent level. Then, I am the worst player on the site.

Blitz requires focus.

Avatar of Ziryab

Two games this morning. In the first, I had a completely winning pawn ending and lost on time. In the second, I had a textbook Philidor (drawn rook ending) and lost on time. Good reason to hate blitz.

Avatar of Uhohspaghettio1

And how many times did you swindle someone else out of time in a similar way Ziryab? 

As I have repeatedly advocated for, playing with increment such as 3 2 solves all the worst blitz problems. Playing without increment brings up all sorts of ridiculous non-chess strategies. 

Avatar of Ziryab
Uhohspaghettio1 wrote:

And how many times did you swindle someone else out of time in a similar way Ziryab? 

Today, once. I was on the losing end of such swindles several more times after I posted. Things got better, though. I usually lose a few before the muscles in my arm wake up.

Avatar of briandesdet

Is there any faster way to get better then to study a endgame book.

Avatar of briandesdet

 I read a endgame by Silman to the 1899-1999 or someting. But the thing with blitz is intuitive. Knowledge like that hasn't been practiced enough to stick.

Avatar of briandesdet

Does anyone has a way to deal with time trouble?

Avatar of briandesdet

I don't know if it is ny concentration or something but i always lose because of that.

Avatar of ChessOfPlayer

Blitz is about using your feelings and intuition.  No time to think.  

Avatar of briandesdet

Thanks it just remind me of something.

Avatar of briandesdet

I just read a blog about some tips in bullet. I never knew you could premove.

Avatar of briandesdet

Premove which is like making a move and moves while it is your opponent's turn.

Avatar of dfgh123

1.warm-up with 15 easy tactic puzzles

(keep reseting your tactics rating to get 15 puzzles on a free account)

2.play gambit openings that allow you to get your pieces out super fast

(danish gambit, elephant gambit, albin etc)

3.play attacking forward moves all the time put the other player on the defensive so he uses up his time

Avatar of u0110001101101000
briandesdet wrote:

 I read a endgame by Silman to the 1899-1999 or someting. But the thing with blitz is intuitive. Knowledge like that hasn't been practiced enough to stick.

No one mentioned endgames to you.

There's an old saying that goes something like: amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

ChessOfPlayer says it's about feelings and intuition, which is only half true. Intuition (useful intuition) comes knowing a lot about chess, and having a lot of practice using it. In blitz there is also plenty of time for lots of short calculations... which are absolutely necessary of course.

Most good players have been playing and learning for years. Many have played thousands of games. Some have played tens of thousands. A few have played over 100,000 (I know a guy)... all this to say, it's probably not a lack of concentration. Chess skill isn't something that happens in a matter of days, and it (typically) takes a lot of reading and practice. Videos feel nice, but passive learning isn't great.

Avatar of batgirl
0110001101101000 wrote:

There's an old saying that goes something like: amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

Then what am I ?   I practice until I figure out I'll never get it even half-right.

Avatar of u0110001101101000
batgirl wrote:
0110001101101000 wrote:

There's an old saying that goes something like: amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

Then what am I ?   I practice until I figure out I'll never get it even half-right.

Haha :)

Well you gotta start with the stuff you can master, then slowly expand from there. And everyone has a limit. A rating they'll never get better than. Honestly I believe part of it is personality. Some learning / practice goes counter to what a personality is willing to do. That goes for all of us.

The OP's blitz rating is 800. I think it's likely he can improve.