Studying seriously, results got much WORSE.

I've been doing the same thing: studying hard and then finding myself losing to lower rated opponents. It's pretty discouraging.

I hate to say it since i've been playing for a while but i'm still a complete amateur, and it gets really tempting to get caught up studying openings like I did yesterday (Chigorin, General Sicillian, Najdorf, Queens Gambit Openings, Indian Systems), on a side note however the theory I did studying sicillian (even if it was the najdorf theory) actually helped me beat Shredder on my phone at 1600 elo today in a Reverse Sicillian/English since I remembered some of the theory for whites side in the sicillian.

Still I have to agree with Pfren, when it comes to tactics and to a lesser degree general chess theory, i'm really sloppy, and it's probably what hinders my game the most.

*edit*: I forgot to mention that I myself tend to notice this when i've studied, the massive drop off. It's just rare for me in this case to actually remember and apply it to a game like this a day later.

This is very true sometimes when you are learning things and trying a new approach in chess you will encounter set backs. For example the highly respected chess trainer IM Grooten remarked that when he trained promising players of 2100 rating and installed to the them a schematic way of thinking with strategy, they suffered set backs. But after that set back,their result got better, and many of them become a GM and IM..

I have the same problem, Then I realized that I want to apply everything I learned in the game... I need to learn when to apply the strategy but you can only do that with a lot of practice =)

Take a break for a day! You probably were studying to hard, and then whenyou wanted to test your new skills in a game, your brain was fried. Come back t it with a clear head, and you will probably do very good.

Ok, I will have the answer for you soon...I have a free online lessons course on my website, with 10 lessons posted. See my profile here, "about me" for link. Lesson011 has been pomised awhile no, and I'm about to make it. The first 10 lessons tell you everything you need to know to work your way to master status. Lesson011 deals with your case, when you get stuck in a rut, and even a losing streak. Watch for it soon, catch up on the other lessons in the meanwhile.

Thank you everyone!!! I am reassured!!

NO problems there.

I think I have figured something out that is very important.  One of the explanations for why your rating dips after you learn tacticts or new information:  When you learn more about tactics or some other new information you see more ideas in your games.  When you see more ideas you get more excited.  Then you make the erroneous conclusion that if you see an idea you must play it (even if you can't see the idea all the way through) because you're not used to seeing such things in your game and your excited that you see things.  You play the move and then a few moves later realize it wasn't a good idea.  And you know chess, most ideas are bad ideas, so that is another explanation for why the plan doesn't work.  So there is one explanation of how people let new information hurt them.  Please use this information to avoid what I have.  Seeing an idea doesn't mean it is good (even though it is exciting!).  Seeing more ideas = seeing many more BAD (one's that don't work I should say) ideas than GOOD (one's that work) plans.