Help! I suck at chess!

 I am writing this in hope that someone can help me. I have been playing chess on and off for several years, but in the last few months I found Chess.com. I have been playing near daily since, doing live games, lessons, videos, computer games, forums, even Google searches... But somehow, it seems I am getting worse. When I started, I could beat a level 4 computer (5 if I was lucky). Now I frequently lose to level 1 computers. I didn't know if I was rushing my games, overplaying, or just stressing out in general, so I tried playing slower, analysis based games less frequently. It has definitely helped my analysis, but I still am very inefficient and generally bad at chess. I would appreciate any advice in any form. 

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?

Firstly a lot of this sounds psycological. In longer games (10 mins or more) if you start feeling stressed, it can be worth looking or even walking away from the board/screen for maybe 10 to 20 seconds. Think of something pleasant (non-chess related) you plan on doing in the next few days, remind yourself it's just a game that doesn't really matter in the long run, and go back and make the best of the position you have at the time.

People will argue almost endlessly over what the best way to improve your technical playing ability is and whether you should be doing relatively more or less playing games/analysis/tactics puzzles/strategy etc. I'm no expert, and I've never seen any convincing case that any one of these points of view is correct for everyone. However, for me, playing loads of games without analysing them was almost useless when it came to improving. Playing games and then analysing them, even if just very quickly to see where I could have improved in the opening, was very helpful though. I also found tactical puzzles good.

Finally, I've had a look at one or two of your games and it seems you do have a good grasp of opening ideas like developing the pieces and fighting for the centre. However, I think you could be applying them a bit too rigidly at times. There seem to be cases where you make a good developing move, but don't realise, or at least don't act on, the fact a piece is under attack. It is possible to sacrifice material for development in the opening sometimes, but usually not any more than a pawn. Even early on, you need to be checking your pieces are all safe on every move. Remember, the opponent will usually have spent at least a move to attack the piece, so you're not really losing any time by rescuing it. After you start doing this consistently, the next step is learning to check if anything can be forked, pinned or skewered, which is where tactics puzzles come in handy.

I hope some some of that helped. Feel free to ignore any/all of it that doesn't make sense or if you try it and it doesn't work for you.

Possibly helpful:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Pdfs/7192.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://www.mongoosepress.com/excerpts/OpeningsForAmateurs%20sample.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf

If you are really serious about improving then stop playing Blitz games (and do not get addicted to bullet).  They are fun, but unless you are already either very strong or a complete beginner you won't learn much through them.

Play slower games where you have time to think.

At your present level I believe you would learn more by studying a good general book on the game, such as that old masterpiece "The Game of Chess" by Tarrasch, alongside on-line resources.

Something I wrote on my blog might help you:

https://www.chess.com/blog/ModestAndPolite/book-based-course-to-take-you-to-2000-strength-in-slow-chess

But if you just want to have fun, carry on as you are. Just don't expect much improvement.

Thank everybody so much! This was much more than I expected. I will try out all advice given. 🤣Thanks again for your time. 

Don't hang your pieces...that will raise your rating for sure

Dont worry, we all suck at it.

It's good to see Zurich 1953 and The Art of the Middle Game on your list... but where are Pawn Power in Chess and My System? No list of recommended chess books is complete without them.

 I've never read any single chess book in my life.

If you only read two chess books in your life, they should be Pawn Power in Chess (Kmoch) and My System (Nimzovich).

If you're losing to level one computers, then your main problem is probably blunders m8. Strategy and tactics are great, but useless when you're hanging pieces left and right.

Im not gonna read any book in my life to prove im talented.

Says the guy that said we all suck... 😆

u can get platnum and use tactics like crazy

Just practice tactics ....and play slow timed games. Avoid blitz games , because you will not learn anything from it.