how do i get good

Hey @childe-roland19 👋

Feel you, chess can look wild when you're watching high-ELO players. But don't worry, everyone starts somewhere, and you're already on the right track by asking!

Here’s a simple roadmap to help you get better:

1: Openings: Learn a couple of basic ones (like the Italian or Queen’s Gambit) and stick with them. You don’t need to memorise lines — just understand basic principles: control the centre, develop your pieces, and castle early.

2: Tactics > Openings: Use the Puzzle section daily! Getting good at spotting forks, pins, and checkmates is way more useful than memorising openings.

3: Endgames: Great start, knowing R+R and R+Q mates! Next, try king and pawn vs king, or rook vs king. They're simple but powerful.

4: Game Review: After each game, use the “Review” button to see what you missed and what you did well.

5: Watch and Learn: Channels like Hanging Pawns, or GothamChess break things down in a fun and understandable way.

Keep it fun, don’t stress about losses — they’re part of learning. You’ll get good in no time! 😄

@JosephReidNZ ♟️

Improving at chess can feel overwhelming, but many common problems have clear, practical solutions that work across all rating levels.

If you’re struggling to spot tactics during your games, one of the most effective habits is solving 5–10 chess puzzles daily. This sharpens your pattern recognition and helps you notice tactical themes like forks, pins, and skewers much more quickly.

Another common issue is becoming too dependent on engines for analysis. While engines are powerful, they don’t teach you how to think. Instead, try reviewing your games on your own first—identify where the game shifted, what your plan was, and where things may have gone wrong. This process builds your chess intuition far better than simply following computer suggestions.

If you find yourself rushing moves or missing ideas, consider switching to longer time controls like 15|10 or even 30-minute games. These formats give you the time to think strategically and reduce simple blunders, which can dramatically improve your overall understanding.

And if you feel stuck at your current rating or unsure what to study next, working with a coach can be a game changer. A coach helps identify blind spots, builds a personalized training plan, and accelerates your progress through guided feedback. If coaching isn’t an option right now, try following a structured study routine based on your most frequent mistakes.

If you’re ready to take your chess to the next level, we’d be happy to support you as part of our training program. Reach out to learn more about how we can help you grow as a player.

You don't. It's not worth the effort. Find another hobby

For me, studying openings was mostly a waste of time. I got better only as I started to actually understand the moves, as opposed to just memorizing them, and to keep basic opening principles in mind, mainly: focus on the center, don't move pieces twice, develope your pieces, castle early (usually). Regarding the end game, practice is the main thing but I found chess.coms Endgame Lessons to be very helpful.

I am working on an AI Chess Coach to help players look you, if you are interested you can try it out here: app.chesscoach.dev