Why can't I get any better??

I started playing chess here a few months back doing half hour games and after a while of practice I started improving a lot and got my standard rating up to 1400 which isn't bad.  

Next I decided I would test myself at blitz games and I can't get above 1100 and I've been playing hundreds of games hoping to get better but no matter how much practice I put in I just can't get my rating to stay above 1100.  

My standard rating started souring and I could probably make it continue to go up higher and higher but as for blitz I just can't improve.  What should I do?  

I find blitz generally damaging to my game, so I quit to focus on longer time controls.

Dont play blitz game too much. You should play at least 15min game in order to improve your way of thinking. Perhaps you should learn endgame first. Engdame is basically heart of chess. DO of Die.. :) buy Smirnov course, its include all themes. Very good for beginner and club level : http://bit.ly/O7RHMb

or you can subscribe chess.com membership, learn from GM video.

Regards

Play blitz but too much blitz will affect your game when playing long time control. But playing blitz as a warm up will really help you to your game. And you can learn how to think fast in time pressure.

What is the generally accepted length of game that chess players are expected to be good at?  When I study GM matches they play games that last 5 hours long.  If I could become good at long games, is that all I need to become a "good" player?  As I said my standard rating started shooting upward rapidly and those were only half hour games, which aren't very long games compared to others.  

But, isn't the measurement of a good player also being able to be good at blitz or bullet games?  Is a 2000 blitz rating not as worthy as a 2000 standard rating?  Also since standard games are simply 15 or more minutes, wouldn't a rating for a player who only does 15 minute games be totally different from someone who does hour long games?  

I personally believe only masters should be playing blitz.

Blitz is a good test of your current opening/endgame knowledge and your pattern recognition. So masters who have a truly thorough understanding of all the stages of chess can play truly good blitz games. For everyone else it is a mistake and even blunder fest or hoping and praying the opponent wastes too much time. When a 1400 blitz game is over and it is analyized I am pretty sure in most cases there'd be plenty of "wtf was that" moments throughout the whole thing.

Blitz won't really help you learn and improve, they will test your current knowledge/pattern recognition and time management skills.

I think the more important question would be to ask yourself why you feel you need to have a high blitz rating while you are still very much in the learning all parts of chess stage.

I have encountered that problem last time when i started playing chess and obbessed with it! What i learn is blitz can improve us.. but before your playing blitz you have to improve your chess understanding. There are many tips you can find in the internet how to improve but basically if you don't master you endgame techniques, you will hardly improve much. my games start improve when i deeply learn rook endgame and other basic endgame, even pawn ending still vital for anyone.

Buy this: http://bit.ly/O9fhLs to learn endgame.

test your tactics also everyday by solving many puzzles. It will help you also

Follow my post. :)

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/what-is-the-best-chess-product-you-have-bought-for-your-studies

I need answers to my follow up question.  Thx.  

Dont play blitz while you want to improve, blitz only ruin your games later. Learn by sparring stronger opponent. 

Tips: Play with bad pieces intead of pretty pieces. Mean that always improve your bad pieces when there is no tactical combination in the position. 

improve your rating by playing longer time games. When you at Expert level you can slowly place blitz. I know its fun..but you won't improve much.

A beginner should not play blitz, it will only make you develop bad chess habits, and it will not be helpfull in your chess development. You want to play better blitz? Play longer game first, study endgames, positional play and tactics. 

Buy this: http://bit.ly/O9fhLs to learn endgame.

or follow chess.com video.

As for standard games, what length of game should I try to become good at?  I still need an answer to this question "What is the generally accepted length of game that chess players are expected to be good at?"

For example if I ever plan to compete or play in professional matches or tournaments what length of games should I expect?

30min - 1 hour for starter i think the best. Once you stronger you will see the time is very crucial for you because you have to calculate many variations. Try work your basic fundamental first

No. There are some players (well above your rating-and mine, also) that do not view blitz or bullet as real chess.

Play strategically like kramnik or karpov if you can! hahaha. Learn from old games that suit your style. 

Play 30 min games on here, because it is very tough to get anyone to play anything longer. Even once you hit the 1400s and up on here it can take a while to get a 30 minute game which is a shame.

To the OP... I'm old school, but what you can do also..is get the notations from a loss, or a win you found particularly interesting, and WRITE down the notations by hand on paper, replaying the game in your head.  Then take your notations and play the game over on a physical chess board, thinking about what you and your opponent could have done better. 

And as I replay the opening I like to have my MCO (Modern chess openings) book open to the opening of the game, so I can check how the game was played against the lines published in the MCO.  I guess when I start to crack into the "moderately good" group I'll invest in the ECO.

Heyy ,

Don't Play Bullet at all it will spoil ur game... if u r playing blitz then play not less then 5+2 format... and if really want to be good at blitz then play 1000 games of 30 or 60 mins first, then u play blitz or bullet u'll be able to feel the difference:)  

And moreover u r daimond member here, pratice tactics trainer solve atleast 100 puzzle's daily and do chess mentor courses :) u ll be just fine then:D 

All The Best:)

record your game.. learn from mistakes. you can ask GM/IM/NM/FM to analyse your game. Must be a at least 30min play, then you can measured your current strength and tactical play. Try this: http://bit.ly/Nrbqo3 . The Wining plan by Smirnov.