How do you learn from a game?

I've been told to vs stronger players and analyse the games if I want to improve. To be honest I'm not sure and would like to know how to analyse and learn from games you yourself have played. Is there a method or process you do to learn from the games you have played? If so what is it? How do you spot your flaws in your play and fix them?

hi, I would like to play some games against you, I can then tell you my thoughts about the game and show you how I think and analyse. :)

Basically it's what has been told to you. Analyze the games you've played and try to find your own mistakes and find different variations to the game. Also, play slower time controls so you can analyze during the game, and not only after.

Thanks for the replies, all help is appreciated.

I go over my game for 3 days slowly with a real chess board write down my own notes I look for the crucial key moment of the game where I went wrong. I look for the show stoppers, missed mates, tactical shots maybe I went wrong in the endgame and that needs a much closer look why.

After going over the game twice I double check my work with a computer program to make sure I got everything and the analysis is thorough.

There might be some ideas here: 

(I tried to get it to open in a new window, but it won't)

http://www.chess.com/blog/CharlyAZ/a-hardcore-guide-to-analyze-your-chess-games

Check your moves with an engine. See on what moves their is a significant enough of a change (~0.3 - just an idea) Try to determine the purpose of the engine's suggestion...the meaning behind it. Moreover, question your mentality at that point in the game...What were you thinking about?...What makes the engine's suggestion better?

Hope this helps a bit...

A good idea is to compile a database which records the reason why you lost a game, whether it is tactics, endgame, middle game strategy, opening, etc... you then study your weakeness. 

If you don't lose enough games, this means that you are playing too many players below your skill level.  You should play stronger players so that your win/lose ratio is near or below 50/50.

But for most players below class A, the reason is usually tactical oversight or incorrect calculation.  Even if you are outplayed in opening or had inferior strategy, those reasons are rarely the actual reasons.  The actual reasons usually relate to tactical decisions.  Personally, my biggest weakenss is defending incorectly as I often play sub-optimal defensive moves. This is also tactically related as I do not fully understand my opponent's tactical threats until the moves are played.

The way to remedy that is simple.  Use an engine and see where you screw up.  Next, compile all the situations in which you screw up in a computer database, and you play over these situations regularly until they firmly sink in your brain.  Those situations become real life personal "tactical puzzles" which are more helpful than puzzle books because the position has made a much stronger impression on you since you actually played it.