I'm stuck at 1200-1380. Any tips on how to become better?
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It was just ridiculously uncalled for. You need to let little things go. There that's some advice to get you better at chess, don't let people get in your head.
Apr 16, 2016
0
#23
kforge22 wrote:
It was just ridiculously uncalled for. You need to let little things go. There that's some advice to get you better at chess, don't let people get in your head.
Lol, "ridiculously uncalled for". I take it this is the only thread and forum you have ever been on. How long did it take you to come up with this crap?
Possibly helpful:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
I remember my pre-1600 days fairly well, and I was stuck around 1400 for a bit. In short, if my opponent made 'obvious' mistakes (well, obvious for that level), I had no problem. I could capitalize, winning the piece or the pawn and then eventually winning. When my opponent didn't make these mistakes, I had no idea what to do. That's when I usually did something random and lost.
I know what you mean about 1400-level players seeming to play like GMs. I had the same thought, but with 1700-players. These guys didn't make the type of mistakes that I knew how to counter, and sooner or later I made a mistake that they countered. The first time I beat a 1700-player, I was beyond ecstatic.
Anyway, what got me out of my funk was going through Tarrasch's The Game of Chess, especially the annotated games at the end. This helped me figure out 'what to do when I did not what to do.' I also studied a lot of miniature games, ones that end in less than 25 moves, usually because of a devastating attack. As a bonus, you learn about attacks and tactics while studying these games, which is perfect for lower rated players.
I think I read Tarrasch's book three times, cover to cover, within a year, and combined with the miniature studying I went from 1400 to 1800 in about two years, give or take.
Apr 16, 2016
0
#26
SmithyQ wrote:
I remember my pre-1600 days fairly well, and I was stuck around 1400 for a bit. In short, if my opponent made 'obvious' mistakes (well, obvious for that level), I had no problem. I could capitalize, winning the piece or the pawn and then eventually winning. When my opponent didn't make these mistakes, I had no idea what to do. That's when I usually did something random and lost.
I know what you mean about 1400-level players seeming to play like GMs. I had the same thought, but with 1700-players. These guys didn't make the type of mistakes that I knew how to counter, and sooner or later I made a mistake that they countered. The first time I beat a 1700-player, I was beyond ecstatic.
Anyway, what got me out of my funk was going through Tarrasch's The Game of Chess, especially the annotated games at the end. This helped me figure out 'what to do when I did not what to do.' I also studied a lot of miniature games, ones that end in less than 25 moves, usually because of a devastating attack. As a bonus, you learn about attacks and tactics while studying these games, which is perfect for lower rated players.
I think I read Tarrasch's book three times, cover to cover, within a year, and combined with the miniature studying I went from 1400 to 1800 in about two years, give or take.
Very helpful post. Question: What book on miniatures are you referring to?
Apr 16, 2016
0
#27
BettorOffSingle wrote:
ufmgambit06 wrote:
Hello community. It seems I am not improving. I have a half decent tactics trainer showing in which I maintain a 1500-1680 rating, (which is still weak), yet my chess games (10 min Blitz predominantly) rating hovers between 1200-1380. The "1200-1380" rating comes from fluctuation and inconsistency. Last year I couldn't break 1100, and now I can't break 1400, though I have broke it a couple of times just to go back down 100 rating points. I have played too many games to be at this rating level. I lose to many players who always have a much lower tactics trainer rating than me, though I'm sure that is due to me doing a lot more problems than them. I struggle against players rated 1400+. Players 1400+ all of a sudden play like f****n grandmasters against me. I know I am not gifted, but I have had some pretty good tactical, and combinative wins that may show some potential, but I just can't pinpoint how to get better and how to understand chess better as a whole.
I guess I also just don't know how to study chess all that great. Any good advice is appreciated. Books, study plans, anything. Also if you feel like you can coach me I'll pay you to help me. I want to understand chess on a high level and I'll do what it takes to get there, but I'd say I'm in need of some guidance.
Stop hanging s**t.
Actually, I understand where you are coming from, but a lot of my losses are not just from hanging stuff, but from my opponent just out playing me.
I didn't have any one single book for the miniatures. I just picked through several different sources.
I remember John Walker's Winning in the Opening as an excellent resource. It had great games and clear verbal annotations, which made the games fun.
I also had Chess: 5334 combinations. It's mostly mates in 2,3 etc, but it also has several hundred miniature games. There are no annotations there, which makes it less useful for learning, but the sheer quantity was nice.
Finally, I had Chessmaster 8000, iirc, and it had a section of '500 best games ever', the first 50 or so which were fairly short and had decent annotations.
I thus can't recommend any one book, but even just searching 'chess miniatres' online has given lots of games and even potential books. For instance, Reinfeld has 'Great Short Games of the Chess Masters' very cheap on Amazon.
Apr 16, 2016
0
#29
What improved me most from 1400 to 1800 was 3 things.
1. Watching chess streams/videos from masters playing blitz. All day, everyday for months. Huge improvement. It's importhant to see how a master handle specific opening or endgame etc or when to pawn storm. When i play blitz vs low rated 1300 player i can see how they strugle to find what to do in a position and often they go for single attack holping to spot somewhere freebie..which is bad habbit., while i comfortable know which piece where it belongs and what to do and when or if a position is dangerous or not. Often a player thinks he is attacking , he has advantage while the real thing is his attack is crap and i am completely safe.
2. Chess Mentor & Video lessons. NM Dan Heisman articles and videos. This will skyrock your rating.
3. Tactics Trainer. Tactics can't hurt. You will memorize patterns and imidiately will see them in your games.
4. Bonus: Just play fast (in blitz). Always be the one with more time on the clock. Many players are both slow and weak. If you take initiative with few fast and accurate moves at middle/endgame, they will go panic and defensive mode , they will always react to your threats and blunder due time pressure.
Also i want to point out many low rated players are actually couple hundreds elo points higher than their rating. You might be playing 1700 rapid/standart player with 1350 blitz elo and you will find impossible to win vs him...
Apr 17, 2016
0
#31
Are you reviewing your games?
If you're serious about improving, you should review each and every game you play, to find the mistakes you made, and (even more importantly) to find the better moves that you should have made.
I recommend doing this both with and without an engine. Without an engine, first, to try to find better moves on your own. Then with an engine to see what you may have missed.
Also, if it makes you feel any better, I looked at some of your games and I agree with you to some extent: for your rating, you play quite well.
It's just those occasional blunders that really hurt you. And, sometimes you're a bit loose with your king safety. Also, sometimes you neglect your piece play in favor of excessive pawn moves. But these are all things that one just learns over time and experience.
Have you read and studied Jeremy Silman's "Reassess your Chess"? It might be a great book for you.
Keep at it!
Don't worry....the world needs checker players also
play long games like 10min game and some ppl said use a bit of logic. i dont know what logic is, but it sound cool to me.
Gunnar1707 skrev:
You too
Play better
Apr 17, 2016
0
#35
BlunderLots wrote:
Are you reviewing your games?
If you're serious about improving, you should review each and every game you play, to find the mistakes you made, and (even more importantly) to find the better moves that you should have made.
I recommend doing this both with and without an engine. Without an engine, first, to try to find better moves on your own. Then with an engine to see what you may have missed.
Also, if it makes you feel any better, I looked at some of your games and I agree with you to some extent: for your rating, you play quite well.
It's just those occasional blunders that really hurt you. And, sometimes you're a bit loose with your king safety. Also, sometimes you neglect your piece play in favor of excessive pawn moves. But these are all things that one just learns over time and experience.
Have you read and studied Jeremy Silman's "Reassess your Chess"? It might be a great book for you.
Keep at it!
Thanks for the advice! I think I might purchase "Reassess your Chess" for Kindle.
Apr 17, 2016
0
#36
OnceUponaCheckmate wrote:
I think anyone is capable of playing like GM sometimes. The reason why they are still 1400 is because they can't do it like GM all the time.
That's exacly why you guys stuck forever at patzer level. You give yourself too much credit and calm yourself that 1400 is pretty decent level, "which is capable sometimes playing like a GM".. LOOOL
Sometimes GM's are playing like a patzers in blitz but other way around is impossible, not even close to Master level.
Apr 17, 2016
0
#37
i have the same issue as you. i played through both volumes of "tactics time" and really thought it made a difference. i've sort of given up on ratings and try to focus on the joy of playing. i'd like to get better but i'm not sure i have the time or dedication that it takes. however, i feel comfortable playing and will keep doing tactics. good luck!
Apr 17, 2016
0
#38
AIM-AceMove wrote:
OnceUponaCheckmate wrote:
I think anyone is capable of playing like GM sometimes. The reason why they are still 1400 is because they can't do it like GM all the time.
That's exacly why you guys stuck forever at patzer level. You give yourself too much credit and calm yourself that 1400 is pretty decent level, "which is capable sometimes playing like a GM".. LOOOL
Sometimes GM's are playing like a patzers in blitz but other way around is impossible, not even close to Master level.
When i was 1250~1300 i though that i am soo much better than normal average person on the street. And that was kinda true. I was winning, but not every game versus old veterans on the parks. I was thinking that, becouse i am playing online over the internet there is no possible way someone old who plays only like 5 persons for years can possible be better than me. Me, who had wins versus "strong" online players all over the world back that time (10 years ago on Yahoo chess) i was feeling invincible. I beated all of my friends and even random players on street who were playing chess for many years casually.
Things started to change when i entered my first local tournament and i got absolutely destroyed by 7 years old kid which at that time i was thinking no one under 12 years or so could beat me, becouse they can't possible have more experience than me.. You see how much wrong i was... How little i knew about chess... When i go to club i was losing left and right.. on time, on position, i even blundered 2 pieces in a row move after move..
I was once a player kinda like you. All I can suggest is to play more, and play longer.
Apr 17, 2016
0
#40
Thought of you and this thread when I saw Master Jerry's (Chess.com username: ChessNetwork) new video today because it's got some really great training that makes key details about the most important position in chess easy to understand (so you can apply it to your next games immediately). Check it out:
https://www.chess.com/blog/ChessNetwork/beginner-to-chess-master-8---how-to-promote-a-pawn
I deleted the post. Someone actually went on his page and called him an A-Hole. Are you gonna keep being butthurt and police them as well, buddy?