Stupid amateur question...

I am new to Blitz games on here, so I need a lil advice...What are pre-moves and how do you use them in 5 minutes games? Is that the best route? Why do people use pre-moves? Thanks everyone in advance!

Pre-moving is making a move before your opponent does.  If it ends up legal, it is played, so be careful using it.

For example, let's say the following is a blitz game.  You are Black, and you just made the move 4...dxe5.  What you can do, while White is still on the clock, is move Kd8.  It will show a red box on that square.  If 5...Kxd8 is Legal, it will be played.  So if White does 5.Qxd8, it will immediately play 5...Kxd8.  If that move is not legal, it won't move it, and you have to make a move on your turn.

A case like that if safe.  If he takes your queen, your only legal move is to recapture, and if he doesn't, that move won't cost you because it won't be legal.  However, let's say instead that you play 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 and you "assume" that he will play 3.Nc3, so you "pre-move" 3...Qa5, and so you click the queen and drag it to a5.  White plays 3.b4.  Your 3...Qa5 will be played anyway because it is still legal, and White can now take your queen.

Oh wow, thanks so much for your insights and time. I am still somewhat new to all this, and never even heard of pre moves til a couple days ago, so it appears you can just switch the settings on here somehow, but I have always wondered about that. I always assumed during my 5 minute blitz games that my opponent was getting extra help, you know? Win, lose or draw I have noticed incredible speeds and usually it intimidates me, as I end up losing to the pre moves, with no knowledge of how or why players are doing that. Well my mind has been blown,lol  I thank you again and wish you good luck in your games..

Yeah, pre-moves are what is beating you on time.

Good luck in your games.  The only times I pre-move are forced recaptures, like the example in post 2, or in a time scramble where I am just erratically moving my King around.

The best way to beat players that try to pre-move is checks or if he is premoving his King constantly, try to cover the square you are projecting he will go to based on his move patterns.

Again, this applies when say, you have 11 seconds and he has 13 seconds for the game.  Don't be doing this all game.  When you have 2 1/2 minutes and he has 3 minutes, make the best move on the board.

That's how internet blitz differs from over the board.  Over the board, you are looking for winning moves in a Rook ending, not moves that slow down opponents' pre-moves.  That's why I say OTB ratings are the only legit ones!

I agree, I mean its harder to determine whats a pre move unless its really fast..However in otb games in person, you can obviously know..I am reluctant to use pre moves, however I already know my first several moves usually..Unless i am being attacked right away..Hw often do you use pre moves anyway?  Again, thanks for your insights..

Only Legal Move Recaptures (like the one above) where if he doesn't capture, it's of course not legal, and cases where both sides are below 20 seconds in an endgame.

So is that common to use pre moves on here? It seems crazy in a way but I see how it can save time as well..This is actually an amateur question, As im sorta new to blitz games and chess in general.....

Yeah, I'll hold a piece over a square in the opening instead of premove which can be a little risky. Then after my opponent moves, all I have to do is let go of the mouse button to complete the move. I'll refer to this as "hovering" below (I don't know if it has a name).

Only for forced types of moves where it's completely safe do I premove.

In an endgame I combine both... for example I might premove a recapture and in case they don't capture, I "hover" my other move choice.

Another safe premove is moving your king into check... it wont happen unless that piece moves away. This can be useful in some time scrambles in an endgame when they're trying to check you a lot. So again I'll often premove into check, then hover my other move.

I actually like the "Hover" strategy, but I can see how pre moves could win the game on time. I have to ask though, what do you mean by "put yourself in check?"

Not because it's into check of course, but with a king on g1 white can draw easily. No need to worry about moving it up to f3 or h3.

So just move around and hope it draws?

Well, no, actually I've studied this particular type of position lol. So I happen to know Kg1 and Ra4 is a very safe way to wait for the black pawns to advance.

The main reason the extra pawn is not a worry is because R vs R with only 1 pawn is an easy draw in this sort of position (king is already in front of the enemy pawn near the queening square). So to attempt to win, black has to trade the pawns in such a way that he gets a protected passer (if white has to play gxh for example), or infiltrates with his king or something. Or if white advances his pawns carelessly and for example the king is forced away or something like this. Right now it's somewhat ideal with the weak pawn being all the way back on h2 near the king.

I am so far behind in endgame studies its pathetic, I mean im not even a 700 blitz player yet..I understand what you are saying, however to me it seems complicated to an extent, as my strategy is to run around and hope I win on time. I probably wont use pre moves, only because in my opinion it really wont help you improve in otb chess, and that was always my goal on here. I do not know if im on the right path or not, but through hardship, losses and persistance I hope to make it over 1000 someday. Thanks everyone for the advice and insights..