Need some help, stuck in a big rut - Chess Forums - Page 2

BasicChess22 · 2018-02-07T12:11:39-08:00

I need a lot of help. Lately my chess has just been terrible and I don't know how to get out of my slump. I feel like I'm winning most of my games until I totally blow it with blunders. I just don't understand this game as much as I think I do and I hate feeling like such a patzer

torrubirubi

Feb 7, 2018

0

#21

You describe exactly the same things that I saw in both games. First the queen in one of the most dangerous squares of the board, second taking the bishop away from a wonderful diagonal.

The OP has to understand that every move has a purpose. Place the pieces in such a way that they attack the part of the board where the imbalances are favourable. And keep an eye on the opponent's attacking possibilities. When castling on different sides, use the pawns to increase the pressure against the enemy king.

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#22

OldPatzerMike wrote:

BasicChess22 wrote:

DeirdreSkye wrote:

Are you willing to do some serious study?

Are you willing to put some effort in it?

Already am

It's great that you're doing serious study. From my personal experience (mostly mistakes), I can tell you that there are two more questions that are vital to improvement:

Are you studying the right things?

Are you studying the right way?

There are no easy answers to those questions, or to anything else in chess for that matter. The short, but incomplete, answers to the questions are:

The right things are those that advance your overall understanding of the game.

The right way to study is actively -- passive learning will not improve your chess.

Those answers contain tons of implications. If you are interested in more about them, just ask.

Hmm I'm not sure what you mean by active versus passive. I do some opening study, mostly just general idea stuff and what different types of pawn structures are for. I practice tactics everyday (pretty low on here right now but mostly because I can't play more than 4 a day without membership). I try to play a lot every day 15|10 when I can and 5 min only when I'm on the bus or something. But the problem I face is that as soon as I learn some stuff and I move on to a game I don't get any good feedback. Most of the time if I try to talk to my opponent they call me names or they just don't respond. It's really frustrating when I'm trying to learn. I go over every game I play and self analysis it, and that helps a bit but it's hard for me to drill openings and practice against random people on here because they really don't care about me or the fact that I'm trying to learn. And that's fine its their right but I feel like my current method is super slow and unhelpful for me. Thoughts?

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#23

torrubirubi wrote:

You describe exactly the same things that I saw in both games. First the queen in one of the most dangerous squares of the board, second taking the bishop away from a wonderful diagonal.

The OP has to understand that every move has a purpose. Place the pieces in such a way that they attack the part of the board where the imbalances are favourable. And keep an eye on the opponent's attacking possibilities. When castling on different sides, use the pawns to increase the pressure against the enemy king.

Yes this ^ these are exactly the kind of things I'm studying the most. I know I'm not good at them yet and they are very Fundamental to the game. Sometimes I play a game and it just clicks, but it sort of a hard thing to study for IMO. I haven't found a good way besides studying and trying to understand the opening theory. Not intense opening theory but just simple stuff like why people play e4 vs d4 and the point fianchettoing and to understand want pawn breaks and how to support them. I do end game stuff to but I feel like my middle game is too weak to study endgame too intensely. I gotta be consistent about getting to one first haha

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#24

Thanks for all the help everyone, I'm sorry if I don't respond to you all, but I did read everyone's comments. I'm starting to think about it a little differently but I have one piece that I found I lack in chess.

I have a hard time just thinking, I know that sounds weird but I like to think about chess and my mind just goes crazy in the game. I'm super excited to be playing and I'm just all over the place in my head. This kind of thing makes me, move to fast if I see a good move "ignoring possibly better ones that I see in hindsight", or just not take the time to recalculate over and over to make sure.

This last game I played went better, but I still have a ways to go. I added my thoughts just too see if I missed some big stuff.

How do you all get good at focus on a chess game. Any practice tips or strategies. I mean I know playing helps and slowing down, but anything off the board?

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#25

DeirdreSkye wrote:

Your "easy win" after 43...Bxf4 is a well known theoretical draw.

43...Bxf4 actually throws away all your advantage and your winning chances.

Hmmm really, is white just not supposed to take with his rook and use it to block the doubled pawns? I haven't put much into end game studies, I don't know how to spot draws, most of what I have worked on is simple Zugzwangs and different types of pawn structures that are good and bad.

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#26

DeirdreSkye wrote:

You miss simple things.

For example, after 4.Qf3 you could just take d4(4...Bxd4).After 5.g4 , d4 again is hanging.You have played e5 a move ago yet you don't take on d4.Quite unexplainable.

You must learn to identify what is attacked and what stays undefended.

You played 2...Bg7.The bishop attacks d4.If your opponent forgets that , you win a pawn.

The same happens after 5.g4.You should keep your eye in that pawn as it is obviously vulnerable.After the exchange of queens you could obviously take it.The fact that you didn't, meant that you didn't spot that it was vulnerable in the first place.My point is that you have to spot captures before they happen(5...Nf6 was not at all bad though as it was threaten 2 undefended pawns but that wasn't your intention , you were just lucky).If you don't , you will miss a lot of things(not only captures but plans too).

Another thing to be careful is not to stuck in one plan and forget to look the whole picture.f4 square was weak , a knight relocated there(Nh5-Nf4) would cause a lot of trouble in your opponent but you were to preccoupied with planting a knight on c5.After 12.Bxb4 , 12...Nh5 was a very strong move with either 13...Nf4 or 13...f5 following (opening f-file for your rook to attack Nf3 and f2).

These are typical plans for the middlegame positions of the opening you play.

A lot of that is me just not taking enough time on moves to go over them. I already kind of mentioned in the game post that my mind was all over the place. Its something I'm working on fixing.

I appreciate your comments though

Ryanmp99

Feb 8, 2018

0

#27

"Your "easy win" after 43...Bxf4 is a well known theoretical draw.

43...Bxf4 actually throws away all your advantage and your winning chances."

lol ^^^^^^^^

50. Kd3?? 51. Ke4?

THOSE ENDGAME SKILLS THO

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#28

Ryanmp99 wrote:

"Your "easy win" after 43...Bxf4 is a well known theoretical draw.

43...Bxf4 actually throws away all your advantage and your winning chances."

lol ^^^^^^^^

50. Kd3?? 51. Ke4?

THOSE ENDGAME SKILLS THO

Well I didn't know, it makes sense from a general point. In my head I was like, okay it will be king and pawn versus king and I know how to win that. Usually simplifying in a position you think is winning is good. I said I don't memorize many end game lines I can't just magically see what's a draw or not in a 15|10. I'm working on it though

BasicChess22

Feb 8, 2018

0

#29

DeirdreSkye wrote:

BasicChess22 wrote:

Ryanmp99 wrote:

"Your "easy win" after 43...Bxf4 is a well known theoretical draw.

43...Bxf4 actually throws away all your advantage and your winning chances."

lol ^^^^^^^^

50. Kd3?? 51. Ke4?

THOSE ENDGAME SKILLS THO

Well I didn't know, it makes sense from a general point. In my head I was like, okay it will be king and pawn versus king and I know how to win that. Usually simplifying in a position you think is winning is good. I said I don't memorize many end game lines I can't just magically see what's a draw or not in a 15|10. I'm working on it though

Don't try to memorise , try to understand.Basic understanding in rook endgames would be enough to make you realise that the endgame with doubled c-pawns is a draw if the opponent king can't be cut away from the promoting square(unless of course there was a miraculous checkmate sequence).

Ah yes I see what you mean now. That is pretty simple. I guess I have a lot to think about

delmond157

Feb 8, 2018

0

#30

Don't worry about how ur rated, don't worry about losing, everyone loses. The people who are higher rated than u should help u and not criticize u, because most of them were lower rated at one point, remember chess is supposed to be fun, not just another completion to win or be the best at. U can go over ur games with engines( Don't do it while playing that's cheating)

delmond157

Feb 8, 2018

0

#31

Competition

BasicChess22

Feb 9, 2018

0

#32

I don't mind the criticism, its harsh but there's a balance to be had between having fun and discipline and I need friends on both camps. I see the value in both types of teachers.

Because even though I feel like I am getting slightly better potentially I still need someone to call me out when I start being lazy.

I just played another game where my laziness made me make some terrible moves after an overall decent game. I won it because my opponent wasn't perfect in the end game, but I throw a lot of my advantage away and missed on obvious tactic with a pawn push and a fork that would have won it for me with a lot less grief.

BasicChess22

Feb 9, 2018

0

#33

I was in this position as black and played Nxe3 *head smack*

Ryanmp99

Feb 9, 2018

0

#34

BasicChess22 wrote:

I was in this position as black and played Nxe3 *head smack*

What’s wrong with that? If he moves his knight out of danger or defends it you either take his rook or promote on d1.

1... Nxe3 2.Rxd2 Kxe7

(2. Re5 d1=Q)

(2. Rd7 d1=Q Rxd1 Nxd1)

Either way, black ends up a knight at least.

Edit:

Looks like I missed an even faster win,

...Nf2+! Forking the king and promotion square, forcing white to give up his rook for the new queen.

BasicChess22

Feb 9, 2018

0

#35

Ryanmp99 wrote:

BasicChess22 wrote:

I was in this position as black and played Nxe3 *head smack*

What’s wrong with that? If he moves his knight out of danger or defends it you either take his rook or promote on d1.

1... Nxe3 2.Rxd2 Kxe7

(2. Re5 d1=Q)

(2. Rd7 d1=Q Rxd1 Nxd1)

Either way, black ends up a knight at least.

Edit:

Looks like I missed an even faster win,

...Nf2+! Forking the king and promotion square, forcing black to give up his rook for the new queen.

Yeah it was a "minor" thing but I saw it just after I moved. To me it shows that I need to focus a lot more in my games.

hitthepin

Feb 25, 2018

0

#36

Fun game we’re having