Seriously - no openings, no strategy, endgames etc. Just don't leave stuff hanging ?
Getting to 1600
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Mar 25, 2016
0
#3
Mainly tactics. Every game on that level is won by basic tactics. Anyway send me a private message if you want. I might help you.
Mar 25, 2016
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#4
Yep tactics. A few weeks ago I was pushing 1500 in blitz, I got lazy for a while and stop doing tactics on a regular basis. I lost almost 200 points! Now that wasn't completely due to tactics, some of it was just me being in a slump but I don't think it's a coincidence that I've been doing my tactics again the last couple days and today I got like 80 of those points back.
Till_98 wrote:
Mainly tactics. Every game on that level is won by basic tactics. Anyway send me a private message if you want. I might help you.
Mar 25, 2016
0
#5
better focus, better thinking process,better tactical pattern recognition, increase in positional pattern knowledge
Tactics never took me from 1400 to 1700. What took me there was strategy. People always say tactics, tactics, but it does depend on the player. Some people (like me) take naturally to tactics but not to strategy. These people need lessons on strategy. Other folks take naturally to strategy but are bad at tactics. These folks need to practice tactics. So it really depends on the player. You need to be good at both tactics and strategy to get to 1700 level. Opening theory and endgame are not that important beyond basic things.
Mar 25, 2016
0
#7
sure strategy is also important at some point but believe me, most of your games are still decided by tactical oversights, keju. When you would improve your tactical skills you would reach a whole new level.
Also francis, I send you a message, ask me more questions. Take care!
I won't argue with someone who's beaten GMJoey. 
Till_98 I can confirm that. At the 1700-1800 level tactical competence still decides like 90℅ of my games
Till_98 I can confirm that. At the 1700-1800 level tactical competence still decides like 90℅ of my games
Till_98 I can confirm that. At the 1700-1800 level tactical competence still decides like 90℅ of my games
sorry for the triple post
Lol "I take naturally to tactics". If you're at the 1400 level you don't take naturally to anything. I was reading a post the other day saying 1200's have good tactics but lose games to minor positional concessions they make. Idk what games they're watching but 1200's still make horrendous 1 move blunders. Tactics tactics tactics is absolutely what you should be doing.
Taulmaril wrote:
Lol "I take naturally to tactics". If you're at the 1400 level you don't take naturally to anything. I was reading a post the other day saying 1200's have good tactics but lose games to minor positional concessions they make. Idk what games they're watching but 1200's still make horrendous 1 move blunders. Tactics tactics tactics is absolutely what you should be doing.
There's no "one-size-fits-all" advice that applies to every player trying to get from 1400 to 1700. "Tactics tactics tactics" did nothing for me when I was 1400. It might work for others but it didn't work for me. But when someone showed me basic strategic thinking, I improved to 1700 very quickly. But if you insist you're right, who am I to disagree? After all, you said "Lol"!
keju wrote:
Taulmaril wrote:
Lol "I take naturally to tactics". If you're at the 1400 level you don't take naturally to anything. I was reading a post the other day saying 1200's have good tactics but lose games to minor positional concessions they make. Idk what games they're watching but 1200's still make horrendous 1 move blunders. Tactics tactics tactics is absolutely what you should be doing.
There's no "one-size-fits-all" advice that applies to every player trying to get from 1400 to 1700. "Tactics tactics tactics" did nothing for me when I was 1400. It might work for others but it didn't work for me. But when someone showed me basic strategic thinking, I improved to 1700 very quickly. But if you insist you're right, who am I to disagree? After all, you said "Lol"!
If you're 1400 you are not anywhere near sufficient tactically, regardless of your perception. If your tactics are good you will come out the winner against 1400s even if you make some strategic errors because they will make a mistake tactically, and dropping a piece outweighs a weak color complex the majority of the time.
Mar 25, 2016
0
#19
Just to echo the comments above... Tactics trainer helped me immensily as does sticking with one opening system for black (I play French/Horowitz e6 exclusivly as black) and for white, d4 Queens gambit. Also, I somehow convinced myself to just not giving a crap about my rating, and once that monkey was off my back, I just seem to start improving faster!
I've managed to get to 1375 or so at best on Blitz. For those that have operated from this range and got to 1600+ can you tell me in simple terms what mainly changed about your thinking / approach to the game ?