really struggling with thinking against computer

hello,

i have been trying to learn opening theory against the computer. i have a book called "starting out: open games". i do not think much of it to be honest. i do not think that it is helping at all. i am trying to play the quiet italian against the computer. f4, Nf3, Bc4, are some of the moves. i am playing the computer on level 2, yes low level, it keeps kicking my arse. i dont know what i am going for in the opening. i have read some things that it says, c2-c3 in support of b2-b4 or d2-d4. but apart from that i know nothing. i can not see common themes, even if i did the computer wallops me early on. i dont know how to see the moves the computer intends to make. i can try to guess where i would put my white pieces and then get clobbered. i try not to read the recommended move as i feel that doesnt really help. i dont like taking back either as i dont think this is helping me learn. so repeatedly i start over and try something new. i am trying to learn to play open games. i would like to ask a question and this is the main point of this post i think. 

in open games, i am fighting to keep the center of the board open, not full of pawns that stop movement?

one thing i struggle with is when to take a pawn. i think that i am getting it.

like, 1 e4 d5, 2 exd5 ...

it says this is a book move so i do this every time. i think i am right in always doing this

1 e4 e5, 2 d4 d6, 3 dxe5 ...

i am trying to keep the center open, i imagine that the computer is trying to close it?

what is the idea of open games?

what am i trying to learn? this is the thing. i have a few books but none seem to help. i was reading through the amateurs minds but people say that is too advanced for a beginner. i have ordered discovering chess openings by john emms, i have to wait three weeks and still maybe not get it. i started to read sam collins understanding chess openings but that is more lines.

the computer will play something and i will play a few moves, then get clobbered. i dont know how to plan or what to play. i have a book on planning and i have simple chess by michael stean. i dont want to start those only to get stuck again.

simon1138, don't listen to everyone who will inevitably scold you for learning opening theory when you're only starting chess. It's true that your approach isn't great right now, but it was very sensible of you to say "I'm getting beaten in the opening by the computer, so I should learn to play the opening better." This is a very active way to learn chess and you should never lose this. Many other people would have simply continued following generic beginner advice rather than looking at their own games and seeing exactly what the problem is.

That being said, before we can continue, how can you have trouble beating computer level 2 or not know what to do in the opening but be rated 1450? That's an absurdly high rating for the level of knowledge you have displayed in this thread. I've looked at two of your chess games and you seem to have no problem understanding the concepts of development and center control. I suppose I could look at more, but the 1450 rating speaks for himself. If I remember correctly, computer level 2 should be easily beatable by anyone who has a good understanding of how the pieces move. I will go play a game against it to be sure though. You are better at chess than roughly 90% of people on this website. Why did you make this thread? If this is not a troll thread, then please post some of the games and we can figure out if the opening really is the problem.

EDIT: I just played 3 bullet games against computer level 3 and as I suspected its basically a potato. Although I was so careless in game 2 it actually back rank mated me. But it makes horrible moves and with the exception of not giving it mate in 1, you really don't have to even think to beat it.

thanks for your support. i have been playing against the computer at level 2 thinking that would be a good way to learn openings. the problem i has was trying to blindly follow the openings which causes a problem because i wasnt thinking about the situation on the board. i was trying to figure out why the computer would say my move was a bad idea and i think that is because the computer doesnt follow opening systems. especially if you follow the opening blindly. it was getting very frustrating loosing. i have just got another book through the post called "tips for young players" by matthew sadler. it seems to have more basic stuff in it. thanks again.

post a game you played against it

i think starting out open games is for the black side

Simon1138, How can a 1450 player be in a bad position out of the opening against the level 2 computer? You still haven't posted any games, I'm starting to think this is a troll thread.

bb_gum234. Stop talking about opening principles and piece values. This player is rated 1450. Have you seen his games? He is in the 90th percentile of rating on chess.com.

Chess is very hard. 

Think of the poor souls that want this to be their profession and then earn peanuts. 

it plays quite good but then it starts blundering everything, just play super safe and wait until it gives you everything for free, you don't need a plan

this is a game that i played at level 2. i was making a lot of mistakes. i dont know why. i did read about the effects of playing a lower rated player and playing a higher rated player. when playing a lower rating you dont focus as much because you believe you are going to win, when playing a higher rated player you are more stressed which would cause you to think more...apparently. i play against the computer and look at the move indicator and it says inaccuracy or mistake and i try to think why that is. i think that when i play against the computer i am just thinking about the opening and getting to where i want to be. i dont think ahead with moves further along. i make some basic moves based on threats because i feel anxious about the thought process, if i think long and hard about it and it turns into a blunder then it hits me hard. this is the same when i used to box. i was trying to catch a jab and couldnt manage because i was new to boxing, not quick enough to catch a faster jab, trained at a poor club, didnt move much to avoid the hit and a host of other things. this led to me thinking, wow i am getting nowhere fast, it was hurting and i felt humiliated because the other boxer was a dick that was laughing and enjoying bashing me.

so i left.

if i were to teach boxing i would do it much differently compared to that coach. chess is causing a similar effect. there is that process of looking at immediate attacks, immediate checks and so on. i dont really do that. i get caught in the "fog of war", like "oh my god, that pawn, i am going to loose it". then try to make every effort to save it, ignore everything else, only to get walloped.

this is not a troll thread. i struggle with things, there is more going on my side of the screen than you can see.

thanks for the support, the two games shown by bb gum with one being bad the other being quite aggressive kind of explains things.

Simon1138,

You destroyed the computer out of the opening after it refused to capture your pawn and just made a couple of bullet mistakes afterwards. It's really not a problem.

That being said, if you find yourself being inconsistent, the fix is objectivity. 

After every move, make a list of your candidate moves and your thought process in physical writing. If you have a move on the list an then decide not to play it, cross it off and write the reason why. The more objective you are, the better you will be able to concentrate.

thanks for your support.

i have ordered discovering chess openings by john emms and currently reading tips for young players by matthew sadler.

thanks xman for the suggestion and i will try that as i am again getting walloped by the computer but i think that no physical activity has something to do with lack of focus as well.

all the best

simon

 Computer 2 doesn't use book openings and just hangs everything and don't recapture sometimes..