How to take your game to the next level?

Hey! 

I have been playing chess for roughly a year or so, a professor at my college recommended that I should try it for a plethora of reasons. He said it would help improve my memory and concentraction among other things. I tried it, and liked it. Mostly because it helped me cool down after a stressful day with work and school. 

But I started from scratch, before he told me to play I had never played before on a serious level and I guess I learned everything myself. But I feel like I could improve plenty if I knew what I should practice more on.

Openings? endgames? just play? I mostly play for fun but I am also very competitive so I always want to improve...

Thanks for all the input.

Hi Kaceey,

I hope you don't mind advice from someone lower rated.

I haven't looked at your games but I'd say endgames are always a good thing to study. I'd recommend "Silman's Complete Endgame Course" ("Complete" is a bit of an exageration) and "5334 Chess Problems" (some of the problems do have alternative answers that are not listed though).

I'm not saying don't pracice tactics, but the benefit that endgames have is that when you encounter an endgame you have studied - you will know exactly how to play it... with tactics, maybe you will spot it, maybe you won't.

If you prefer the middle game then "Encyclopedia of Chess Combinations" is a great book; the exercises are themed so the reader at least knows what they are supposed to be doing: Annihilation of Defence; Deflection; Pinning etc.

As to openings I'd suggest finding one or two openings you like as White and a defence against the four main moves (1. e4/1. d4/1. c4/ 1. Nf3) as Black. Then start stripping out the bad moves.

No not at all! At least you are rated higher than me:)!

That is good advice thanks although I am skeptic how books will help me improve. I have always been more a fan of the practical side, as opposed to the theoretical side when it comes to chess. But will definitely check them out and may give them a chance.

As a free member here you can do 5 tactics problems everyday. Takes less than 10 minutes a day. That small investment over time has helped me out a lot.

Also, if you go to chessgames.com a fun way to improve can be to pick a grandmaster who plays your favorite opening and watch their games for ideas on what sort of pawn structures arise, should you trade bishop or hold on to it, etc. 

Study the endgame Bobby Fischer's mentor Jack Collins called it the north Star of opening and middle game play you always have to keep it in mind and plan for it every game if you have no knowledge of endgame theory your a sitting duck against good players who do.

Recommended:

Practical Chess Endings by Paul Keres

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Chess-Endings-Keres-Paul/dp/4871875091/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418757121&sr=8-2&keywords=practical+chess+endings+paul+keres

Fundamental for the Practical Side of Endgames (in descriptive notation) it's Keres teaching the subject so your in safe hands.

Rook Endgames:

https://www.newinchess.com/1000_Rook_Endings-p-1521.html

Rook Endings these are very,very important study and practice these ones even Capablanca made a deep study of them.

Basic Chess Endings by Reuben Fine

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Chess-Endings-Reuben-Fine/dp/0812934938/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418758457&sr=8-1&keywords=basic+chess+endings+benko

Greatest reference book on the Endgame there is it can take time to work through it (about 9-12 months) but if you crawl through the mud and wire and graduate from Fine's School on the Endgame you will be a better endgame soldier with of course alot of practice.

For practice find a sparring partner who is good in the endgame and work them out with a clock or if none is avalible a computer at it's highest level will do.

Silman's book is more than adequate -- especially the first few chapters.  There are several engame simulators such as chessgym to practice basic endgames.  Look especially at K+P, and rook endgames.

I recommend studying positional principles.

If you can get your hands on a copy of "Your First Move (Sokolski)" for a reasonable price, I strongly recommend you get this book.

It shows the essentials of learning chess overall.

I say 'reasonable price' because it is out of print.