Why am I so bad at chess?

After I learned the basics of chess years ago I started playing again this year, around 5 months ago. I've played a couple hundred games online and I'm still hovering around the 1100 mark!

I haven't memorized any openings but I've read up on some things. Don't get me wrong, I still thoroughly enjoy playing but it'd be nice to win more than lose. It would be nice to play as black and not having people playing 1. e4 e5 then bringing their queen out to h5 thinking I'll make the stupid mistake. (oh yeah, how do you guys playing against this? I generally win when people do this but not as easily as I'd like).

Are there any tips, websites or books to read to improve my rating? This is the same on other websites as it is here. I can go up to 1200, then I'm back down threatened into a 3-figure rating.

Any tips would be appreciated!

I don't know about anyone else, but I find myself in a great position with this opening (I don't know what it's called)

When I'm black... well, I try to do the same thing, but I usually get messed up.

Thanks for the reply.

When white I play the ruy lopez as stocke mentioned (btw not sure if he's serious, it's difficult to convey sarcasm online).

I don't think my opening is at fault tbh. I can get my pieces out and castle without being down on material. It's just when both players have developed, when to trade off, how to attack etc. I guess I need to play more attentively and go back and analyse my game, see what I did wrong.

This is my major problem too. I get to this point and freeze.

one thing that may help is to use the analysis board on turn-based chess.  this helps me to calculate when an exchnage will be equal-in my favor-or not in my favor.  i think that will help you or at least it won't hurt you and if you like i will play you a game unrated with takebacks and we could discuss the moves jebcc

I see you haven't played any turn-based on-line games- i have continuously improved since i started playing say 30 games at a time in tournaments and actually sat there analysing positions for as long as necessary. 

Well... I remember reading or hearing (not quite sure where) about the first rule in chess (which i haven't confirmed it in any book, but throughexprerience only) :

The best and more efficient way (not to say sometimes the only way) to improve your skills in chess is by playing with someone better than u!!!!

My friend u are in a good way, u play 5 months, as u claimed, in a regulary bases ... all u have to do is just keep on playing as much as u can  and everything else will come by time, and unfortunately by loosing...

My advise is to find someone apart the internet, most desirably from a chess club, to  play with, if u can every day on a live chess board, someone that is good, that has big passion for the game(this is vital) and play, play, play, play and again play....

...now about the opening u said is for sure my most anoying to play when I am  black... Is boring, is resulting to a certain more or less posisioning that leaves little room for inspirations, experiments and variaty and I will add a personal opinion based upon my experience, that people that prefer this opening are arrogant, to offensive, and they dont have  knowledge in depth about chess oppenings, because if they did they whould prefer to play others....

forget about the ratings for the time being play for the game and the magic it has and slowly it will reveal its secrets and will give u great satisfuction, believe me!!!!

P.S. I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with most of the suggestions so far. Practice, do tactics, play with people who love the game, and go over your games. Online (turn-based) games might be good for you. You really learn to understand positions when you play those games.

Here's the thing though: Sometimes, you can gain an advantage in almost every game you play, but you just can't convert it into a win and you don't know why. That is why analysis is important. You should post some of your games under the game-analysis board and see if you can get some help.

I played in a tournament just yesterday and I managed to gain a significant material advantage in all but one of my games... but I didn't manage to convert them into wins and only got 2.5/5 when it should have been 3.5 or 4. I plan to post them in the game analysis board tomorrow and see if anyone has any suggestions for me. I suggest you do the same, and it's more important that you do this for losses than wins, although both are beneficial.

Good luck!

Try the chess.com study plans!

That is the biggest problem. If you want to improve you need to play slower games. Try keeping at least 5-10 of the 3 days per move games found under "Play" and "Online Chess" going and take your time thinking about your moves.

Well, I for one got a TON of helpful information!!!

Thank you everyone for your input.

Yep, thanks for all the replies, they're much appreciated. Especially paulgottleib. I see what you are saying. I'll start playing games and doing just that, see if I can improve.

Thanks!

Old post, new reply. Chess ability improves massively with sleep and calmness. I watched a chilled-out US grandmaster casually destroy his opponent as if he were dreamily blowing bubbles in the park.

when i did the same my losing streak ended and I was beating players with far higher ranking. Calmness awakens the sleeping grandmaster inside you.