HELP!!!

hello, i need some help and advise and any comments would be much appreciated. I will start off with some background information:

 My father taught me chess at a young age 5/6 which i played regularly during primary school until i was about 11/12 years old from there i played less and less chess on and off over the years and i am now 20 year old and have started playing daily again taking my chess very serious since being reuninted with a childhood passion. I need some advise and guidance on what to study? how to study? which books to purchase? and basically any information you have to get me back on track.

Thank You any help would be more than appreciated

Hi JayMacauley

I'm not a strong player by any means, but from what I can see in your games, you are losing because you are tactically not as strong as your opponents.  Also, you seem to be "hanging" some pieces.  My suggestion would be:

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_instruction/build_base_chess_und.html

then move on to here and start reading the articles from the bottom up (oldest first):

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_instrctn_bgnrs/archive.html

Stick to "turn-based" games for now ONLY.  Two days per move should be good.  Make sure you play slowly.  You can even join a tournament or two.  Don't join more than two, otherwise  you will have too many games to concentrate on at once.  Then when you are say at a level of 1000 rating (turn-based games only), Chess.com has got a wonderful study plan available for us:

http://www.chess.com/article/view/study-plan-directory

I suspect the stronger players will tell you the same: Tactics, tactics, tactics.  Every day.  

I posted the same advice here:

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/help-support/stupid-mistakes

Good luck!

Lots of ways to take up chess again...a few thoughts:

Get a good chess program like Fritz...where you can play against the computer which will give you a rating based on results....set the playing strength for the computer for the strength you wish to play against. After the game, have the computer analyse the game. After a number of games your rating will give you an idea of your present strength. Analysis of the games will show you where you are weak.

As for books, get some books on openings you wish to pursue. I think the best books are ones not just with opening moves, but give illustrative games and are highly annotated. It is most important to learn WHY the moves are played and the ideas and plans for various positions. Also consider getting dvds on openings, combinations, middlegame, endgame.

Game collections are great...especially choose books by a player that suits your own style....if you have a bent for tactics....books with the games of Tal and Fischer would be helful. Positional play...Reshevsky and Petrosian. 

Really though, after you have a clear idea where your strengths and weakness is, this will serve as a guide as to what direction to go as far as what books/dvds to get.