How to get better?♤♡◇♧

Okay. I have been playing chess for years and I just can't get better. Any tips? 

Study old Games?

Study techniques?

Nope

Just get better <3

what is better to you -- higher ranking or making better moves or getting to play set moves that actually work -- just relying on your ranking is a false bell curve way of seeing better chess - getting small parts of your game tight will make you play better -- just don't think higher rankings mean better chess in ones self

I have found that using books on famous or classic interesting games (by John Nunn, Irving Chernev, etc.), highly instructive over the years to enhance my skill. I prefer this to watching videos and playing bots. Why? because you actually IMMERSE yourself into the game, at your own pace, and I often also find some games reach a critical position that can go one of several ways. When I see this, I use THAT position, and play it out by setting my chess computer to the position and then I may even flip a coin to pick a color!

Playing those out are highly instructive and seeing a position evolve into an endgame is probably one of THE best ways to self-improve. I recall an interview with Kasparov many years back, just when he was about to take on Deep Blue - he mentioned at the time that the one advantage humans have (again, at THAT time) is pattern recognition... You do not have to see 8-10 moves ahead, because only 2-3 moves is relevant, depending upon the position, and the opponent's moves. Why? because UNTIL they move, its all assumptive. Still logical, but a game evolves, not written in stone. Otherwise why would we play at all?

Another fun thing to do is find a pair of chess dice. Use one of the set for white and the other for black. Get also 2x8-sided dice, and use one for A-H and one for 1-8. One can randomly set up the board and play a position. Sort of fun also, but not the "synthetic" positions generated in puzzles that may often not be found in a real game. With the dice, if you find yourself getting a goofy position on the board, just re-roll that until the positions look interesting. Then flip a coin to determine side to play out. This is also highly instructive.

Finally, while not quite as effective, you can also practice (as Capablanca did when in his youth) laying out a range of positions - dice generated are good - and try to say promote a pawn with King assistance, capture and trap a particular piece, etc. This sort of exercise is what TRULY IMO makes a better player. One learns piece movement, patterns, and new tactics by practicing these sorts of exercises.

Sounds old school? Yes it is, but you can do it anywhere, do not need WiFi, and see the layout JUST as you would playing for real. It is the tactile and actual process of playing on a real board that humans can use to re-train and re-program their "wet-ware" best.

Finally, I prefer seeing improvements incrementally vs huge leaps - this means the new skills are sinking in. Forget ratings, and focus on your own personal chess goals. I also like to play queen-less in some of my computer games because this makes me a stronger player. Try that - give up a piece, either a Q, or whatever piece(s) you are strong with, and take one away. Now work on your chess! When I started doing that, I could later then force a REAL, say, Q sacrifice if needed, and not worry!

Rookium