Fundamental chess patterns (50 or 100 or 300 or 500 etc.)

Daimonion, I started using Chess Tactics for Begginners 2.0 about a month ago and it has really helped. I have an easier time noticing tactical mistakes from my opponent and opportunities for my own game. I'm still working through it and there are about 2200 problems however, the game breaks it up into 20-100 puzzles involving one type of tactic and 20-100 involving another etc. it gets more difficult as you progress. It is for students of chess rated under 1300 USCF I believe. Since I've started doing those puzzles I've made a fairly large jump (rating wise) on this site. I'm sure it will carry over to my lousy 700 USCF rating, at least that is what I'm hoping for. Chesstempo.com is another site but it's more like this site as it sets up random tactical problems which can be useful also.

I just got Chess Tactics for students (John Bain) as Master Dan Hesiman recommended it and I'm taking lessons from him at the moment.

While I have an enormous amount of respect for Dan Heisman as a chess author and teacher, it is my experience that beginners often make frustratingly little progress doing tactics puzzles. In effect, it is like "reverse engineering" a machine you don't understand.

   I prefer to give them the patterns (the ones in my book, now 100), so that they can find them in real games.That way, they can have fun playing (and even winning) games. Periodically, tactics puzzles can be used to test their understanding and reinforce the pattern recognition.

Rodolfo Pardi

I have used this book some since buying it a few years ago. I worked through the first 50 middlegame patterns by systematically studying their source games from December 2014 through early summer 2015.

See http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2015/08/chigorin-davidov-1874.html and the links therein. 

My advice is first learn how pieces moves. Sounds funny yes but infact 35% of readers here probably can move a knight on empty board with for example minimum amount of moves to reach specific squares. Learn how 2 bishop work togheter. Learn to checkmate with 2 bishops. Learn how to checkmate with rook and king, yes i know you can but probably with 30 moves. Do it with 15. If you want to improve don't focus just on specific theme. Focus on topics that will increase your overall skills. Practical stuff. Most basic ones. Fundamentals like 2 kings on empty board try to reach from e1 do e8 from chess mentor here. Then go King and pawn vs king. Start from very low. First fill your holes if you have ones. Start a game vs low rated opponent and try one thing. Don't lose single pawn or piece for nothing or defend all game just to improve your every single piece before going attack.

I mostly find your advice good, but I cannot execute this checkmate in fifteen moves.