How decisive are inaccuracies at lower levels?

Hi everyone,

I've been working on my games and trying to reduce the number of blunders and mistakes I make. I analyse my games with a computer and also look at them on my own. I'm just wondering, is making an inaccuracy that big of a deal when compared to a mistake or blunder? I often find that the lines the computer comes up with rely on moves I don't think my opponent (or myself) would make following an inaccuracy at the level I'm playing at.

What should I focus on when going over my games? 

I'd appreciate any advice!

Thanks

If computer analysis is to be trusted, my friends and I simply take turns making our positions worse half the time. So I guess any given inaccuracy in such a game is probably not super decisive. But assuming neither player makes more blunders or brilliancies, the player whose moves are more inaccurate likely tends to be in a less powerful position after a while.

Inaccuracies, mistakes, and blunders are nothing more than indicators.

They indicate/show you were you could of played better.

All of these things can be decisive.

For example:

Do you have any evidence to prove your opponents haven't been taking advantage of your inaccuracies?

I'm kind of leaning towards a "good for you to challenge the assumptions of the computer and try to formulate a plan that makes sense to you" response.

Well positional inaccuracies won't hurt you as bad as hanging a piece on move 5 obviously. However, if your opponent is able to improve their position via your seemingly small inaccuracies, that will probably lead to more tactical opportunities for your opponent and tactics is usually what decides lower level games. But most 1200 players don't see these opportunities. I would suggest working on tactics and cut down on your major blunders. worry about the small inaccuracies after you improve in the other two areas.

2 of my tournament games I won yesterday I had a -2 position or worse at some point in the game. These were games in 120 against 1750+ USCF players too. Computer evaluation is only useful to isolate your mistakes and improve upon them.

The computer plays like a 3200+ player so obviously it will find game losing mistakes in all of your games, or you'd be a 3200 ;)

After you got all you pieces out and castled you should focus on the enemy pawns and squares on the 5th and 6th ranks (or 3rd and 4th ranks if black) that can't be protected by pawns and see how the computer would attack them.

inaccurates most of the time even for higher rated means nothing - still equal for humans. Many players are stuck to low level for years. They play many many games read plenty of books (which are not not for them) and they are still low rated. Problem is they are so used to bad habbits and moves that they are wrong, but for them they look okay. They are used after couple of moves to grab free pawn or piece, so push 5 pawns early etc.

So start observing how higher rated players play - find a stream of a stronger player and watch him how he play blitz. Or better a master. Plenty of them thiese days. Start playing vs higher rated, see your mistakes after game and correct them.