Feeling extremely disappointed

1200 is a beginner in real tournaments... Yes I know you don't need to hear that but chess takes time. The best players have been studying for decades. You watch them play but they don't show you the studying part. The best players study 4 to 8 hours a day. That's studying...not playing speed chess. Most of them started as a kid and now as adults you see them play and they make it look easy. That can be misleading. If chess ability was easy it wouldn't be called chess

You can play blitz in blitz, but don't play blitz in rapid. Blitz enforces habits of playing fast in long time controls. There is a difference.

10 minute games are too fast for most people though. 15|10 is probably the minimal time control for improvement and longer games than that are most likely even better for learning purposes.

By the way, it seems that you've joined less than a month ago. Progress in chess is not easy and it will take a lot of time for the majority of people.

Try to just enjoy playing and learn along when you have the time. If improvement is your goal, play less games, but play longer ones than you do now. That will help you cut down your mistakes and you will probably be less frustrated.

If you cant go through each of these cheat sheets on each move without losing on time, then youre playing to fast.

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

General Ideas.

1. Stop playing blitz, and bullet.  Play longer time controls of at least G45, or longer.  
2. Follow Opening Principles:

• Control the center.
• Develop minor pieces toward the center.
• Castle.
• Connect your rooks.

1. Study tactics...tactics...tactics.  One of my favorite quotes is this: "Until you reach Master, your first name is tactics, your middle name is tactics, and your last name is tactics”.
2. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
3. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
4. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
5. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
6. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

1. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

1. Have Fun!

I joined less than a month ago on this account but I have been playing on other accounts/websites for a while

Thank you for all of this, I really appreciate it. One question, how would you recommend “studying chess” I tried reading books but I find the chess notation confusing and I can’t always picture the moves in my head. Also I do a lot of puzzles for tactics, but I still feel like I miss them a lot of the time

IMBacon is showing the way... Pay attention people 😉

How do you study?

Ok then. But in any case, 10 minute games are most likely your main problem. Don't get me wrong, you will still struggle, we all do, and we all have some bad slumps, but as long as you play longer games, try to analyze them and learn something about chess either from books or YouTube, you should eventually progress beyond novice rating. It might take a while though, it is not the same for everyone.

Perhaps this might help you out somewhat, it is a guide of sorts that I wrote some time ago. It is not written in stone, but it might give you direction:

https://www.chess.com/blog/nklristic/the-beginners-tale-first-steps-to-chess-improvement

Passive study = videos and software, 2D online chess.  It works but it is passive.

Active study = Using a real board and pieces, chess clock, books, coaching. 

Use what you're comfortable with.  But serious chess study is active study.  Learn to be a 2 year old again and ask "why" on everything.  It just seems like people dont want to put in the time and effort to improve. 

You want to simulate OTB tournament conditions as much as possible.  Just my .02

And of course, not every book is appropriate for novice players. You might have stumbled on a book that is just too hard for your level. Before buying a book, make sure that it is a good book for your particular level. 

Its just years of accumulated knowledge that i have found useful.  Its up to the user to pick and choose what works for them.

😆 best meme ever!

Twice a year I stop playing and study the books for about 2 months twice a year.

Right now I'm in a playing only phase 🙄

Usually around August and January I hit the books.

This actually came about because I used to be a park player and spring and summer is for playing so after that I would hit the books (August)...and right before spring I would hit them again (January)... it's sort of ingrained in me now. So every year I slowly improve.