At your level the most efficient things to so are puzzles.. toons and toons of puzzles. Just follow basic principles in the opening and rely in the middlegame on your chess vision ( the thing you improve with puzzles)
What are chess opening principles?
I found The Process of Decision Making In Chess very helpful. It has 3 phases:
1. Threat evaluation - make sure your opponent has no threat
2. Positional evaluation
3. Tactical evaluation - seeing if you can threaten your opponent
At first you should focus on threat and tactical evaluation until those are solid for you. Also do tactics problems during this time. Once you are not losing games to simple tactics then you can learn the positional evaluation part. Position evaluation is very helpful, but if you hang a piece, positional evaluation doesn't matter.
Study annotated master games to get a proper understanding of a thought process. Chirnov's Logical Chess Move by Move is a good place to start.
Look at the positional imbalances, then formulate a plan. Who you think stands better, by how much, and why. Why force perpetual if you're winning for example but if you're otherwise losing you'd be happy to take it. Analyse all checks, captures, and threats since a tactic could refute your move. There is a lot to learn. If you know that three vs. two on one side or less draw you'd avoid exchanging down to that in an endgame for example assuming all else is equal.
If you're winning a certain rook ending you'd avoid carelessly pushing a pawn forward since it would give the opponent a Philidor position. If all the winning chances rests with the opponent you'd force a short side defense and hold the draw, etc.
If you need help, please contact our Help and Support team.
I feel I lack the skill to evaluate positions well, a common problem of people my level.
Are there any ways to learn how to do this. I have read amaters mind, however I didn't play the examples. Is there another book/video or should I re-read?
Thank you