Tips for an under 200 ELO player.

Hi, I suck at chess. I’ve been playing casually using this website for a while now, and from the start my rating’s (for blitz) only gotten worse and worse. At some point I hit 100 ELO, where you literally can’t go lower.

I’ve gotten a little better since then and I’m glad for that, but I’m kinda stuck around 180, I just can’t seem to get better. I know a lot of times I just make really stupid mistakes and I should just be more observant, but other times I have no idea what caused me to collapse and end up losing. I’m just making this topic for anyone may have any tips or advice they’d be willing to share, I’d really appreciate it : )

@1

"I just make really stupid mistakes"
++ When you have decided on your move, do not play it, but imagine it played on the board. Then check it is no stupid mistake. Only then play it.

Always put the safety of your pieces first. Check every time if piece could be captured after move and is there a piece which is being attacked. Mistakes will occur if you focus on opportunity, and do not check about it.

Youtube videos are helpful, so how about watching videos about basic principles and which are for beginners? Ideas in those videos will broaden your sight.

The guy might be entertaining for a certain U-13 audience which likes hearing the same jokes ad infinitum, and has the delusion that passive learning of random (irrelevant?) stuff is a way to improve. Anyway, Gotham cannot make much harm if you don't take him seriously.

Play at least 10 minute games, if not more while you learn. You won't improve with Blitz yet because you don't have the intuition to play it yet. You have to build that by actively thinking in longer games.

Assuming you know how the pieces move, each time you decide on a move take 5-10 seconds to double check that it can't just be captured for free. below 800 elo, as long as you do this and make somewhat reasonable or threatening moves, your opponent will blunder a piece at some point.

Low elo chess is completely different. The difficult part is not trying to get a better position and look for tactics like it is at higher elo, but just to actually notice when your opponent blunders. With each of their moves, take a moment to see if it just straight up can be captured for free, because that will happen a lot.

Then all thats left is to learn how to checkmate, even in the most basic ways. Learn to checkmate with just a queen and with just two rooks to start. Once you have more pieces than your opponent, trade everything until you get one of those positions that you know a process for checkmating in, and then do it.

That will all help you in game, but honestly the best and most important single thing for you to do is puzzles, I really cannot exaggerate how helpful they will be. I would suggest doing at least 3 beginner puzzles each time you get on to play.

I've learned a lot watching Gotham chess, and now I'm 1700 Blitz and Rapid.

I'm a self learning person who's not the best, but at this point I'm getting better at winning 20 | 1 games. I personally recommend meeting someone at least 3x your elo who can tutor you and teach you positioning. Think about you opening, as this sets up the game for specific gameplay styles and if you're more of a positional player like me, I recommend French defense and Vant Kruuij's opening. Always look at the whole board and think ahead, starting in rapid games so you have time for processing information.

With respect, I don't really think you can or at least should think of developing a style until 1000 or so. Sure, you may have a preferred opening setup, but to prefer and fall into aggressive, sacrificial, positional styles etc. should come after fundamentals.