Improving at chess

Hello everyone,

I've started really playing chess seriously for a couple months now and I've been doing pretty good but I really have been getting frustrated. I don't feel like I'm being very consistent and I really could use some advice on what I could do to improve my playing and feel more comfortable. I don't know if I should stick with certain openings and how many or if it's something else? I think that if I could stick with a certain opening or two I could work of variations of that opening depending upon how people play against it. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam

www.adamallegrucci.com

what parts of your game are you frustrated about?  can you give specifics?  going over your games win or lose and commenting yourself and trying to see better options.  submitting a game to have people review could help you.  i would suggest you stick with a certain group of openings, typically called a repitoire.  That way you can grow and learn which lines work best.  Also, visit your local library and see if they have books on the openings you are using.  If you are sure you want to stick with the openings, or one or two of them, then maybe investing in a opening book, say the starting out series by everyman press. Could help your alot.

Thanks for the advice, Mainly the part that I'm frustrated with is recognizing certain positions and that may just be that I need more experience or I need to study more games. I often feel somewhat lost when I have to move, I guess just recognizing the best move to play. Thanks again for the response!

experience is something that helps in recognizing positions and the best moves.  i have found that experience helps.  that is why going over your games helps.  you see positions and then find the better move.  the next time you see the position, you will see the best move.

also, don't get stuck on one phase of the game.  for years i was stuck on openings.  once i got away from that i found that i was good at endgames.

Silman, who wrote a book the Amateur Mind has a method where you look at the material, the placement of the pieces and a few other things.  if you play blitz though, it is hard to take time to analyze a position. 

grucci --

For only having played a few months, I think you're doing exceptionally well . . . especially against me.  :(.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Chess is a game that a small percentage of gifted players can play instinctively, and the rest of us have to balance our priorities and study it when we can.  The main thing is to have fun. 

As for improvement, a good opening is essential, just to keep yourself from being blown out at the start.  From there on, however, it's about positional play and/or tactics, depending on how your mind works best.  My advice is to find out which of the two areas you are stronger at (or like the best), and work on that phase first.  Silman has several great books out on positional play.  For tactics, I would suggest a computer software program, of which there are many.

Keep the faith, my friend.  You're doing fine.

Forrest