Using the Pareto Principle to improve

If you're growing peas, 20% of your plants will produce 80% of your peas.  So take care of those 20% that are giving you the most bang for your buck.  

I'm new to chess, pretty weak, and my time is limited, but I want to get better.  

If you've improved at chess, which 20% of your effort gave you the best results?  

Tactics training?  Reading a book written in 1946 by Reuben Fine?  Playing as many blitz games as possible?  Eating right?  Studying masters' games?

Thanks for your help.   

If really a beginner use the "stappenmethode" at first, analyze your games always, play slow, read nunn''s introduction to tactics.

Thank you, hpmobil.  I'll look up Nunn and I'll try the "stappenmethode."  Should I stay away, then, from blitz chess while still a beginner?

Under the goal of getting better 5 minute games belong to the 80%. But it's fun.

Stay far away from blitz as a beginner. Your long-term habits are rooted from what you do as a beginner. 

This makes sense to me.  I teach music, and I prefer my students to play a piece very slowly but correctly, rather than at a normal tempo badly.  Thank you.

I'd say play against people with similar or higher ratings than you.  It's harder but you learn faster.

Blitz is probably bad for a beginner.  It's good at teaching you tactics and how not to hang pieces though.

What I did to improve my game was to: . Practice tactics . Watch videos with commentaries mostly for those openings I've chosen to play . Study and practice common end game positions, e. King pawn, rook pawn, etc. Also AnalyzeThis and Chessbase have been helpful. A few weeks of study skills yield decent improvement at the lower level, which is where I am at.

Actual improvement needs to be measured by a real rating system.

USCF, FIDE, or other FIDE federation ratings are not accurately estimated by artificially determining a figure. 

in chess the 20 percent that gives 80% of results is forced moves that win material in under 4 ply (2 full moves). Mostpeople call this tactics.

you can't go wrong with eating right

Tactics, playing live slow games, and spending time around better players.

Ha!  That oughta work.

So does blitz help tactics, or no?  I'm about to swear off of those 10|0 games.

all beginners should buy chessmaster XI the art of learning.

in this game there is a great learning section how to become a good chess player.

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• 600,000 game database.
• Coverage of all classic and modern opening variations

I am waiting for season 2 to be streamed on netflix denmark.

I played many 10 min per side games when I was your level. gradually I wanted more time to think about the positions, and started playing longer games as a result.