losing constantly.
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stace-68
Dec 4, 2023
0
#1
I’ve been playing chess for years. I don’t study theory I just play for “fun”. I’m a low rated player in 5 minute games. But even with that, I’ve lost 267 off my rating in the last 90 days. Gone from 880 to 613 and I can’t seem to beat anyone. I lose 3 out of 4 games and I have no idea what do to. I suck. It’s so frustrating. Any suggestions would be greatly helpful.
I understand what you are feeling. I sometimes lose 100 rating points in a few hours because when I lose I become impatient and less concentrated. Maybe you could try to stop playing after losing a couple of games and start playing rated games again after minimally 3 hours of break. The mentality you should have (although it is pretty much impossible and I do NOT claim I have it myself) is to think that rating is just a number and if you managed to get to a certain rating once you can do it again because you're playing strength never lowers
Dec 4, 2023
0
#3
Points and rating are irrelevant as 1/2 of all players on chess.com and internet generally is cheating. Play for fun, focus on yourself and don't take any ratings seriously as they mean absolutely nothing.
If you want to improve, then play 15|10 instead of 5|0.
Dec 5, 2023
0
#5
To most of my students, I give this advice (and it's almost all they need):
The biggest reason people struggle in lower-level chess is because of blunders. They make them in almost every game.
A mistake can instantly put you in a bad position, no matter how well you played earlier: if you had great opening knowledge, great positional skills, great endgame skills, whatever; a single mistake can change everything (you lose a piece or get checkmated).
So, how do you avoid blunders? Follow these two simple steps:
1. After your opponent moves, think if it's dangerous. Ask yourself, “What’s his idea?”
2. Before you make your move, think if it's safe. Ask yourself, “What attacking replies can he play?”
If you feel like getting to levels like 1600, 1800, or 2000 in chess is super hard, let's look at it in a different way. Those players you're facing make blunders in nearly every game they play. Beating them isn't so tough if you stop making big mistakes and start using their slip-ups to your advantage.
Again, it does not require you to become a chess nerd or spend all your time on chess. Just doing this one thing can boost your rating by a few hundred points right away.
Lastly, while avoiding blunders is crucial, I also share a few basic principles with my students. These principles help them figure out what to do in each part of the game - the opening, the middlegame, and the endgame. Understanding these simple principles is like having a map for your moves. When you use this knowledge along with being careful about blunders, you're not just getting better at defending. You're also learning a well-rounded approach to chess. Keep in mind, chess is not just about not making mistakes; it's about making smart and planned moves to outsmart your opponent.