Here's a link to a terrific series of courses to help you brush up. I've done all but the very first one, and they are very well written. Of course chess.com is hoping you'll sign up for premium and try some of the other courses as well, but these should get you up and running. Have fun!
https://www.chess.com/blog/webmaster/free-chess-mentor-courses
Just enjoy playing. Play regularly and you'll quickly improve.
Not much study required at this level because it's all about experience. Certainly no openings just play solid following developing principles and play chess not theory. Though casually working through a few tactics books (or online) might give you a boost. Do it if you enjoy it.
If you play online don't just focus on blitz but throw in a few standard games. 15 10 is nice. Fast enough to not take all day but slow enough to focus on strategical ideas and having to calculate and visualise lengthy variations under timepressure which has good carry over to classical chess.
second game showed quick improvement , not reacting to opponent but making opponent react to you ,
stick with same line if poss as black get to know it well
Things I tell my students:
Work on tactics as often as you can - treat it like daily exercise is to physical health.
Play as much as you can!
Just some notes:
I hope you enjoy your time here :)
Best,
Julian
Thanks guys for the replies :) I appreciate it. I'll have a look at the courses as well. Btw, anyone seen the film "Pawn Sacrifice"? That's what inspired me to play chess again.
@linlaoda thanks for the really detailed analysis! And what exactly is blunder checking? With a quick google search didn't find an explanation. My style is attacking fast but sometimes I can't defend properly I think, like in the 1st game.
Blunder checking means actively looking for blunders - just as you should look for knockout blows, you should avoid producing your own knockout fall.
Having more free time is my motivation :) I'd like to play casually now and then and yes, I would like to get better and improve my rating.
Blunder checking means actively looking for blunders - just as you should look for knockout blows, you should avoid producing your own knockout fall.
What are you a politician? You didn't answer it at all lol 
You have to remember new players don't necessarily know what you mean by "blunder" or "knockout blow"
@ TheMasterLocke, for this purpose we can say blunders are game changing mistakes that you're good enough to avoid, but still commit due to a lack of observation. For example moving your queen to where she can be captured on the next move. You know enough about chess to know it's bad, but you didn't see it.
So blunder checking is imagining your intended move as if it's been made, then looking for all the primitive ways your opponent can punish it... can it immediately be captured? Can the opponent use it in a simple tactic like an immediate fork?
There are three basic types. After imagining your intended move look for all of your opponent's responses that are: 1)captures, 2)checks and 3)threats (a threat like attacking an undefended piece). If your intended move is safe against any of your opponent's forcing moves, then it's passed the blunder check and you can play it.
Go over all your games move by move. Analyze each move and try to find a better move each time. You will begin to recognize the critical positions. Pay special attention to your losses. Go over master games, like Capablanca, again move by move, then compare your move to Capa's. Try to understand why he selected the move. In addition, study end games. They are a major key to improvement. Frank Marshall is another good player to study as he was a brilliant attacker. Good Luck!
My only advice is to run away and never come back, while you still have the chance. Once chess consumes your soul, as it has ours, you're stuck forever and at that point, I can assure you that you're not getting off the ride. The ride never ends.
Thecentipede, they must be a very grave form of Grave's disease you got there!
Sorrow 82 please leave centipede's immune system alone! His eyes are gonna pop right out if you keep posting!
Possibly helpful:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM Johm Emms (2006)
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Hello all,
I'm returning to playing chess after a 3 year break (registered here 2 weeks ago), just finished high school so I'm without the pressure of exams and such... anyway in primary school I used to play in a club and entered some tournaments etc. but only at very basic level.
Now I think my skills are a bit rusty and I'd like some advice from all the veterans here on this site, here's two of my games. Any advice (to improve on my tactics, opening, attacking etc)?
I've always been fascinated by chess and I think of it as a war game of sorts. I'm really looking to get back into it, but I need some help. Without practice I'm not playing that well at all. I'd like to improve my rating to 1400-1500 if possible, how much training/study would I need? Thanks a lot!