Chess knowledge is like a bully. No matter how tough you think you are, there is always someone better.
What i like about posting here, is when i give my analysis, someone better comes along, and shows me, where i was wrong. Its a learning experience for everyone.
Yeah, I've gotten great tips and insights by reading the answers of people who know more than me.
I've also posted questions myself, and done analysis, and I'm always grateful when someone like Pfren comes along and carefully explains to me what an idiot I am lol 
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything 
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything
😁 i definitely have a long way to go...
Let me ask. For a player like me(who knows almost nothing yet), are blitz and rapid games good for me? Or its better i play casual games so i can have time to think and improve my game.
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything
😁 i definitely have a long way to go...
Let me ask. For a player like me(who knows almost nothing yet), are blitz and rapid games good for me? Or its better i play casual games so i can have time to think and improve my game.
Youre better off playing games of at least G30/G45, and preferably longer. Correspondance chess is a good way to go. Blitz is ok as long as you limit yourself a 2-3 games a day.
If youre trying to improve, you want to give yourself time tp think, which youre not going to be able to do playing blitz/bullet, etc.
Think of it this way...No one learns to read by learning to speed read first.
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything
😁 i definitely have a long way to go...
Let me ask. For a player like me(who knows almost nothing yet), are blitz and rapid games good for me? Or its better i play casual games so i can have time to think and improve my game.
Youre better off playing games of at least G30/G45, and preferably longer. Correspondance chess is a good way to go. Blitz is ok as long as you limit yourself a 2-3 games a day.
I haven't heard of G30/G45 games.. Is that new?
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything
😁 i definitely have a long way to go...
Let me ask. For a player like me(who knows almost nothing yet), are blitz and rapid games good for me? Or its better i play casual games so i can have time to think and improve my game.
Youre better off playing games of at least G30/G45, and preferably longer. Correspondance chess is a good way to go. Blitz is ok as long as you limit yourself a 2-3 games a day.
I haven't heard of G30/G45 games.. Is that new?
They are games where each side gets 30 minutes, or 45 minutes for a game.
Yeah, I've gotten great tips and insights by reading the answers of people who know more than me.
I've also posted questions myself, and done analysis, and I'm always grateful when someone like Pfren comes along and carefully explains to me what an idiot I am lol
I used to analyse my games with Lichess engine but these engines will just show me that my move is bad but wont tell me why.
For example.. Lichess engine will just show something like 5.Bb5+? Or 6.Bxd7? Leaving me to figure the reason out. I shouldn't trade my good Bishop.
I've told this story before, but I really like it, about Peter Svidler.
He's playing blitz online and giving commentary.
He gets into a French opening as white and says something like "Oh, I know nothing about this, I might be in trouble. I studied this opening in my youth, but that was decades ago and I've forgotten"
His opponent is a GM by the way, IIRC.
So the game goes on, and his opponent starts to take a long think. It's around move 15.
Svidler comments that the "well known" plan is blah blah blah blah blah (he rattles off a few moves and various ideas).
Then he beat his GM opponent doing exactly what he said was the idea.
And remember this was out of an opening that, by his own standards, he knew "nothing" about!
What would have been specialized knowledge to me, was just common information to him. Information so trivial that he didn't even consider it to be knowing anything
😁 i definitely have a long way to go...
Let me ask. For a player like me(who knows almost nothing yet), are blitz and rapid games good for me? Or its better i play casual games so i can have time to think and improve my game.
Youre better off playing games of at least G30/G45, and preferably longer. Correspondance chess is a good way to go. Blitz is ok as long as you limit yourself a 2-3 games a day.
I haven't heard of G30/G45 games.. Is that new?
They are games where each side gets 30 minutes, or 45 minutes for a game.
Oh okay thanks thanks.
Yeah, I've gotten great tips and insights by reading the answers of people who know more than me.
I've also posted questions myself, and done analysis, and I'm always grateful when someone like Pfren comes along and carefully explains to me what an idiot I am lol
I used to analyse my games with Lichess engine but these engines will just show me that my move is bad but wont tell me why.
For example.. Lichess engine will just show something like 5.Bb5+? Or 6.Bxd7? Leaving me to figure the reason out. I shouldn't trade my good Bishop.
Thats the drawback to engines, they dont explain the "why" behind a move.
.33 is one tempo, or a 1/3 of a pawn.
I would reccomend using an engine that you can set on "Blunder Check" Where it only checks for tactical mistakes. I see so many people that let an engine run overnight, and claim there analysis is "correct" because the move they made gave them a +.4 advantage. But when you ask them to describe the advantage, you get a blank stare.
When I was new, I exclusively played 3 minute games. I did this almost every day for years.
This really made a lot of bad habits that were problems for me later.
Some people will tell you to never play blitz or bullet... but then you see many strong young players have played lots of blitz and bullet.
But the difference is I was playing only 3 minutes games, and these young talented players are playing long games too (and of course going to tournaments).
If you want to improve, you should play long games. You can play them here on chess.com. I think the time controls IMBacon mentions are great. 30 minutes per side or 45 minutes per side.
I don't think people have to completely stop playing blitz and bullet, but since they are fun, there's a danger that you might end up spending lots of time on them.
Yeah, I've gotten great tips and insights by reading the answers of people who know more than me.
I've also posted questions myself, and done analysis, and I'm always grateful when someone like Pfren comes along and carefully explains to me what an idiot I am lol
I used to analyse my games with Lichess engine but these engines will just show me that my move is bad but wont tell me why.
For example.. Lichess engine will just show something like 5.Bb5+? Or 6.Bxd7? Leaving me to figure the reason out. I shouldn't trade my good Bishop.
Yeah, exactly. Bb5 wasn't so bad because you could have retreated it to d3. The engine will tell you the mistake was Bxd7.
But I knew from the game and your comments that you never considered Bd3, and it was more important to tell you Bb5 was bad
So yeah, humans give better advice because they can explain it.
Omg.. Preggo_Basashi and IMBacon... You two have been very helpful!!!.. I feel very confident right now (like you guys have taught me everything that needs to be taught)... I'm very grateful thanks.
Omg.. Preggo_Basashi and IMBacon... You two have been very helpful!!!.. I feel very confident right now (like you guys have taught me everything that needs to be taught)... I'm very grateful thanks.
All we have given you are some basic tools for improvement. Its still up to you to do the real work.
Good Luck!
Two biggest things I think
1) Bb5 was bad, because that's your "good" bishop.
2) Nc3 was bad, because you'd rather have your c pawn free to go to c3 or c4.
But the game was pretty good, and your rationale was good. You just lack experience. For example you're not supposed to know blocking the c pawn is bad on your own. That's pretty much impossible. That's something that comes with experience (whether playing or learning).
How do you guys know all these things???
I first became interested in chess about 15 years ago. I've read books, gone to tournaments, watched videos, etc.
I played casual games OTB with players better than me, every week, for about 10 years. Some of the best tips you hear during the analysis after a game.
If I also count silly speed games played online, I've probably played at least 50,000 games.
I've posted and read other's advice on this forum for around 8 years.
And as Bacon says, compared to professionals, we don't know much. This is just a hobby we've spent a lot of time on. Pros, like the top 10-20 players in the world, are like living libraries. It's utterly amazing how much they know about chess.