Getting worse despite thousands of games and watching chess videos

"User has been closed"

Good Luck!

Some advice to get you started.

The basics of each phase of the game

Opening:

Follow the Opening principles:

1.      Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5

2.      Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key

Ø  Complete your development before moving a piece twice or starting an attack.

Ø  Move pieces not pawns.

3.      Castle

4.      Connect your rooks

Ø    By move 12, you should have connected your Rooks, or be about to do so.

Middle game:

When you have completed the Opening Principles, you are now at the middle game.  Now you need to formulate a middle game plan.  The middle game is a very complicated part of a chess game.  A simple way to develop a middle game plan is to perform the following steps.

1.      Scan your opponents 5^th, and 6^th ranks (3^rd, and 4^th if your black)

2.      Look for weak pawns, and or weak squares.

Ø  Weak pawns and squares are Pawns, and squares that cannot be defended by another Pawn.

Ø  Knights are excellent pieces on weak squares.

Ø  When deciding on weak squares, and weak Pawns to attack, the closer to the center the better

End game:

Start with the basics:

1.      Learn basic mates – KQ vs. K, KR vs. K, KRR vs. K

2.      Learn Opposition, and Key Squares

3.      Learn basic King and Pawn endings

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) 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?"

Are you using online chess as your gauge? If so, .... don't. I languish like you at 1100 on this site but in OTB games I beat players 1800+. Online games are not OTB games and should only be considered a learning tool. Don't take online games seriously. I certainly don't, unless you are playing against a known OTB rated player.

If you want to improve review EVERY game (even if it's blitz).

Compare the opening to a database to see what the normal opening moves are (and which one of you left theory first). Look at the rest of  the game with an engine to find the biggest mistakes.

Most importantly, have something in mind that you'll do different next time.

Same idea for tactics. Review EVERY puzzle you missed. Then don't look at those puzzles for a few days, and then review them again. Keep doing it until you can solve a missed puzzle all the way on the first try -- that means you're starting to learn a new pattern or idea.

my advice as well as playing longer games which was already mentioned, would be to find a local chess club and play actual over the board chess, if you have the time and can find a local club

watching chess vids is passive learning, a complete waste of your time. Best chess learning happens with the old skool methods, active learning, good chessbooks, real wooden board, pen,paper and HARD WORK. Don't expect your rating to go up unless you've worked hard for a longer time, meaning several years