Hey @Rhetro1 — you’re asking a very common question, and honestly, the answer is in your final sentence: yes, it’s probably that you’re not playing enough games.
Books and puzzles are great tools, but they’re like reading about swimming—you won’t really “get it” until you’re in the pool. Puzzles train pattern recognition and calculation, but real games test your decision-making under pressure, uncertainty, and time.
Here’s a quick idea that might help:
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Try a cycle like: Game → Review → Puzzle → Game again
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After every game, win or lose, go over it (even without an engine) and ask:
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Where did I feel confused?
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Did I apply anything from my studies?
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What would I do differently next time?
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You’ll start connecting your study to your play more naturally, and it’ll all “click” with time and repetition. You're not alone in this!
Keep at it—you’re way closer than you think. ♟️💪
Am I just not playing enough chess games?