I have been playing chess now for oh... 3 years. And i still to this day, SUCK at this game! I really want to get comfortable with an opening, but it just won't sink in... I fall into the same traps again... And again... And again! I'm not the brightest light bulb, and I'm not sure if i should keep playing due to my horrible results. Should i just throw in the towel?
You need a basic Opening plan only about 10 moves deep. Don't try to memorize everything. You seem to not be watching what your opponents follow up moves are. E.G. your opponent leaves a rook hanging & you quickly snap it up without looking for his reply & are Mated by his Queen! Play a lot of slow games & think about your moves & his reply move. You will get better in time. Do not study Master games as it is a waste of time! These guys are thinking way ahead in their games & a strange move is not apparent until 3-6 moves later. Hope this helps.
Originally posted by rook sacI've gotta respond to the comment about master games. The REASON that they are helpful is that you don't understand them. Your brain picks up ideas even if you don't realize it. If one just looked at the games of patzers like you and I, they wouldn't improve because we don't play well enough to be examples.
You need a basic Opening plan only about 10 moves deep. Don't try to memorize everything. You seem to not be watching what your opponents follow up moves are. E.G. your opponent leaves a rook hanging & you quickly snap it up without looking for his reply & are Mated by his Queen! Play a lot of slow games & think about your moves & his reply move. You will g ...[text shortened]... y ahead in their games & a strange move is not apparent until 3-6 moves later. Hope this helps.
I was referring to his level of current play. As he gets stronger going over Master Games is a good idea. Also, I would spend 15-20 minutes a day on the Chess Tactics Server to sharpen your Tactics. Don't try & solve them quickly at first & don't worry about the time per move. As you get better you will get faster at solving them.
From a brief glance in the above game you needlessly kept moving pieces twice in the opening.
While you didn't make any blunders, repeatedly moving an already developed knight and bishop to simply trade like-for-like isn't going to get you far.
So for instance, instead of 8.Ne5 you could have played the more logical 8.Bf4, 8.Re1 or even 8.Qd3, placing a piece on a more active square.
Then, providing your opponent does force your hand by making a threat or dropping a piece, you should move your queen off the back rank, activating her & linking your rooks.
The rooks left on the open 1st rank give you defensive solidity & attacking flexibility. Putting your most powerful piece - the queen - on an active square (one where she has a choice of future options) speaks for itself.
Something like this with you as White is a decent springboard from the opnening:
Originally posted by Daniel KirkShould you throw in the towel?
I have been playing chess now for oh... 3 years. And i still to this day, SUCK at this game! I really want to get comfortable with an opening, but it just won't sink in... I fall into the same traps again... And again... And again! I'm not the brightest light bulb, and I'm not sure if i should keep playing due to my horrible results. Should i just throw in the towel?
Chess is a hobby - Do you enjoy chess? Are you having fun playing it? If so, you've already succeeded, so keep at it, regardless of how good or bad you are.
I think Squelchy's right. You just seem to be making some basic beginner mistakes. I think a little study of the basics would do wonders for you. Learn about developing your pieces in the opening. Don't obsess about memorizing a bunch of opening variations, but instead learn some basic opening principles. Read a general introductory instructional book. (You live in Oz - If you can find a reasonably-priced used copy of C.J.S. Purdy's "Guide to Good Chess" (the book is out of print and somewhat scarce), that book is just chock full of general opening principles. A wonderful little book.) Work on your tactics. Go to Dan Heisman's web site and read his Novice Nook articles on how to reduce your counting mistakes. Counting isn't just knowing the value of the pieces - there's more to it than that. (And there's lots more good information on Dan's site. Just Google his name for the link.)
If you're having fun, don't give up!
Originally posted by Mad Rookyes Rook, this came as a great revelation to me, once i realized that i was really quite rubbish and that every other type of pretension was a delusion, it was quite liberating just to play for fun, take chances and enjoy the game, rather than constantly being concerned about rating or whatever. so i think this is the key, having fun! but to be sure, winning is fun, losing is not, therefore it goes hand in hand with having some fun that we learn some fundamentals. here is a site that teaches basics. i like it because it goes through master games, some very short and illustrates chess fundamentals, like what happens when we don't castle early, what happens when we take material and fail to develop etc etc etc.
Should you throw in the towel?
Chess is a hobby - Do you enjoy chess? Are you having fun playing it? If so, you've already succeeded, so keep at it, regardless of how good or bad you are.
I think Squelchy's right. You just seem to be making some basic beginner mistakes. I think a little study of the basics would do wonders for you. Learn about develop s site. Just Google his name for the link.)
If you're having fun, don't give up!
http://www.academicchess.org/video/shorman1wsoundfx.shtml
Originally posted by robbie carrobieNice link, Robbie! Also, if you go to this sub-link:
yes Rook, this came as a great revelation to me, once i realized that i was really quite rubbish and that every other type of pretension was a delusion, it was quite liberating just to play for fun, take chances and enjoy the game, rather than constantly being concerned about rating or whatever. so i think this is the key, having fun! but to be sur l and fail to develop etc etc etc.
http://www.academicchess.org/video/shorman1wsoundfx.shtml
http://www.academicchess.org/learn/richardshoreman.shtml
you'll find some cool info like "A Collection of Purdy Wisdom" and "Thirty Rules of Chess" (a slightly modified list from Reuben Fine's book Chess the Easy Way).
looking at your games, you don't seem to be thinking ahead...I find the "analyse board" feature invaluable for seeing the consequences of my moves...also, you resign too quickly....you can learn alot by trying to extricate yourself from a bad position...not criticisms, but you did ask.. 🙂
Originally posted by Mad RookJust had a look at Dan Heisman's site, the Novice Nook's excellent, bookmarked.
Should you throw in the towel?
Chess is a hobby - Do you enjoy chess? Are you having fun playing it? If so, you've already succeeded, so keep at it, regardless of how good or bad you are.
I think Squelchy's right. You just seem to be making some basic beginner mistakes. I think a little study of the basics would do wonders for you. Learn about develop ...[text shortened]... s site. Just Google his name for the link.)
If you're having fun, don't give up!
Very easy to follow his thoughts with plenty of boards showing what's happening.
Great shout!
Originally posted by Daniel KirkWanna play some unrated games ? We can discuss them after they are finished, or during the game. I am not all that bright chess play either and I play for 4 years now but maybe I can help you with an idea or two.
I have been playing chess now for oh... 3 years. And i still to this day, SUCK at this game! I really want to get comfortable with an opening, but it just won't sink in... I fall into the same traps again... And again... And again! I'm not the brightest light bulb, and I'm not sure if i should keep playing due to my horrible results. Should i just throw in the towel?
Wow! I like the feedback i'm getting here.
Well, to start off, i must admit i do make hasty moves. I just can't help it! Because sometimes i would look at a position for about half an hour only to blunder anyway... And yes, i love chess very much, rating is not really an issue for me. Thanks for analyzing one of my games, it's nice to hear someone elses thoughts besides a confusing engine. That looks like a solid defense for white, i really should get my rooks involved a bit more.
The biggest flaw in my playing is defending my pieces, and one of you mentioned, "moving the same piece twice needlessly" is so true. I used to go on emeralds tactic server a while ago, but got frustrated with failing 75% of the puzzles. Maybe i should go back and keep trying...
I usually go over my games, but seem not to learn anything 🙁
Thank you all for the intelligent responses and not prodding me with sarcastic comments, which seems to be the norm on forums these days.
I will play slower games, and spend more time on defense and just not attack.
Ps: To the guy who offered a game, send me an invite whenever you want!
Cheers guys.
Originally posted by Daniel Kirktry chesstempo.com instead, go to the standard problems, not the blitz ones and you can solve the problems at your leisure, its important to take your time, i am like you, i play very hastily, need to learn patience!
Wow! I like the feedback i'm getting here.
Well, to start off, i must admit i do make hasty moves. I just can't help it! Because sometimes i would look at a position for about half an hour only to blunder anyway... And yes, i love chess very much, rating is not really an issue for me. Thanks for analyzing one of my games, it's nice to hear someone el
Ps: To the guy who offered a game, send me an invite whenever you want!
Cheers guys.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie
try chesstempo.com instead, go to the standard problems, not the blitz ones and you can solve the problems at your leisure, its important to take your time, i am like you, i play very hastily, need to learn patience!
Yes, we must tell ourselves not to run before we can walk. Thanks for the website, i'll check it out asap!
Peace.