*as well as you
HEY NOOBS! Forget Openings, Study Tactics (The right way)
Ya you know people want quick fixes most of the time. Instant gratification types. Magic bullets that really don't exist.
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/hey-noobs-forget-openings-study-tactics-the-right-way?page=18#comment-51758150

I stumbled across an interesting article. International Master Valeri Lilov explains why a player should study chess openings regardless of their rating:
Valeri is a nice guy, very good at chess, and even better at poetry. However, I won't share his opinion.

So ignoring the nonsense about studying openings while rated low to mid - how do you improve via Tactics study? I've been stuck at 1500's for years and crunching tactics does not seem to help:
I value my time - and my time spend on trying to improve in chess is not returning a result. Anyone had experience breaking through that 1500-1600 barrier while in their 30s?
Doing tactics will make you a tactics master. A chess game has three phases-opening, middlegame, and endgame. Somehow tactics is only a part of the midlegame.

Somehow tactics is only a part of the midlegame.
incorrect. There are tactics in endgames as well. Slightly less, but still exist.

Somehow tactics is only a part of the midlegame.
incorrect. There are tactics in endgames as well. Slightly less, but still exist.
Some in openings as well! Opening traps?

Somehow tactics is only a part of the midlegame.
incorrect. There are tactics in endgames as well. Slightly less, but still exist.
Some in openings as well! Opening traps?
opening traps are tactical but more memorization than tactics.

Somehow tactics is only a part of the midlegame.
incorrect. There are tactics in endgames as well. Slightly less, but still exist.
Some in openings as well! Opening traps?
opening traps are tactical but more memorization than tactics.
true

Sergius. I don't know you personally, so I'll generalize - and its probably pretty accurate. Tactics is critical - but you have to study in the right way. I'd recommend the Test Your IQ Vol 1,2, and 3. The reason I say this is the books are difficult with time penalties and rewards. Use and actual board. This is once or twice a week. The rest of the days just do 30 minutes of problems - at first with themes and then no themes. That's tactics.

The next area is the endgame. This not because this or that position will come up - but endings will get you thinking about chess in the right way - this is very true for player where chess does not come easy. Here's what you do. Learn basic endings so you can play them without thinking - 100 endgames you must know - that sort of thing. Then move on to technical endgames - these are endings which are not basic - say Rook endgames with an extra queen;s knight pawn and 3-3 on the king-side. Finally move on to complex games - these look like middle games with the queen's exchanged, Here you can learn how to think positionally, make plans, deal with counter-play - learn how to transform complex endings to technical endings (and by then you'll be able to play technical endings and transform them into basic endings.

If you spend 30 minutes to an 1 hour every day on an endgame study plan like this, you'll have a chess skill that is permanent - then you'll be in a position to move on to standard middlegame positions and more difficult positional and calculation. In summary tactics in the right way - as a foundation for future calculation study. Endgames - the three tier approach - as a foundation for studying middlegame. Don;t worry about short term results. Follow this and you will have built a solid foundation for real lasting improvement. One final things =endgames are not boring - ALL the secrets of chess are found in endings. How can you play a complex middlegame, if you can;t play a complex ending well - or even a technical ending?

Sergius. I don't know you personally, so I'll generalize - and its probably pretty accurate. Tactics is critical - but you have to study in the right way. I'd recommend the Test Your IQ Vol 1,2, and 3. The reason I say this is the books are difficult with time penalties and rewards. Use and actual board. This is once or twice a week. The rest of the days just do 30 minutes of problems - at first with themes and then no themes. That's tactics.
Thank you. I assume you mean 'Test Your Chess IQ', right? Cause there are 'Test Your IQ' books and they seem a bit unrelated.
As for endings - you might be right. I've been playing correspondence chess for the last few months and the endgames I've gotten in some of the games have been really interesting!

Yes, sorry I meant Test Your Chess IQ - not you're only 1500 go and test your IQ! (lol) The idea is too really challenge yourself and this effort imprints the patterns on your brain. This is difficult material -keep at it - it will work - don't get depressed! The other part is as you study endgames in the three tier way I suggest, you'll get a better feel for the properties of each piece, the importance of one side having just one inactive piece, the role of weaknesses, how to plan, tactics and calculation are present, evaluation and planning - everything you'll need as a foundation for better chess. It will be the best use of your time I guarantee it. As a reminder don't worry about results as you do this - concentrate on tactical and endgame mastery - the results will come later and be real. As you get to know endgames deeply, you will see chess very differently. For example you'll really start to see and feel how players at your level self-destruct by creating far too many weaknesses, and fail to activate their pieces at the same time - mainly because they have a faulty active plan - and finally their tactics is simplynot good enough (doing puzzle rush is not tactical training in my opinion). You can clearly see that studying openings does not address the source of improvement which is a better understanding of positional chess and a much better tactical ability.
as good as me