Can't Win
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Aug 16, 2012
0
#23
Playing slowly and using TT is great advice. I've developed bad habits (hope chess for one) and I can guard against them when I play more slowly. My standard rating is 1115, but I've been as high as 1577 online. That's incidently my highest rating on the TT as well. Too neat to be a coincidence I think ;-)
The most important thing though is just to have fun no matter what your rating.
Aug 16, 2012
0
#24
Lol...always thought that someone had been moderated when [comment deleted] is shown. Not the case though, just means they deleted their own comment! How disappointing. :0)
Aug 16, 2012
0
#25
I don't think its a bad idea to select openings for white and black and watch a video on how to play them properly. It is a waste to study extensive variations and theory. However to know mainline moves and the main ideas behind moves in the opening isnt a bad thing ot know even for a beginner. I wouldnt spend a ton of time on it, but it has helped me get a solid position out of the opening.
mattyf9 wrote:
I don't think its a bad idea to select openings for white and black and watch a video on how to play them properly. It is a waste to study extensive variations and theory. However to know mainline moves and the main ideas behind moves in the opening isnt a bad thing ot know even for a beginner. I wouldnt spend a ton of time on it, but it has helped me get a solid position out of the opening.
That is exactly what I have done. I have studied some of the more common openings simply so I can be familiar with them and understand why such an opening might be used. For instance, if someone begins playing a KIng's Gambit then I know he is likely planning to mount a brisk attack on my King's side. It helps me to know how I should respond. As I mentioned earlier, maybe 10% of my time has been spent studying openings. Not very much.
Thanks a lot for all the input.
Just study tactics and endgames. Follow opening principles. Play slowly. The games that I lose, close to 100% of em were all lost simply because I blundered by playing too quickly and not carefully calculating.I only play online chess or 30 minute time controls thats it. Tactics trainer is awesome do it everyday.
What you have described is precisely what I do. There is a lot being made of openings in this thread. Yes, I study some openings but not to replicate them, to learn the principles that make the openings valuable. In my studies of chess I have spent maybe 10% of that time studying openings. I do a lot of tactics training, usually my allotted 25 per day. I completely agree with you, I usually lose when I rush a move resulting in a blunder or I have a move I wish to make and make it without sufficiently analyzing my opponent's move.