Reinforcing bad habits.

What are some of the common things newbies do that pay off but aren't good chess? Hope chess would be one example that I fall for. People at my level will fall for all kinds of traps. Hoping the opponent will take this sac or won't see the mate in one. This wouldn't work with higher rated players so I need to stop playing it and find a more forcing solution.

Another question. Why do sacs work in higher rated games? In lower rated games the hanging piece is just too tempting and the player overlooks some obvious moves. I suppose a deeper move calculation would play out.

What are some good habits to reinforce?

never label anything as a weakness.

Originally posted by deeploser
What are some of the common things newbies do that pay off but aren't good chess? Hope chess would be one example that I fall for. People at my level will fall for all kinds of traps. Hoping the opponent will take this sac or won't see the mate in one. This wouldn't work with higher rated players so I need to stop playing it and find a more forcing solutio ...[text shortened]... suppose a deeper move calculation would play out.

What are some good habits to reinforce?

When a 2000 player sacrifices something is because all moves lead to advantage or mate, if a 1200 player sacrifices means that most moves lead to advantage by his calculation, but most of the time sacrifices are traps wich have a counter move that could hold the game, but if he is playing a 1200, the other player may not see the best move to counter the sacryfice, leading to greater advantage, but it wont work when playing a 2000.

Originally posted by deeploser
What are some of the common things newbies do that pay off but aren't good chess?

My fave is Game 2919469

It never worked in that game because my opponent knew the trap, I thought he would know it however it was just too tempting 😀

Anyway it was move 6 knight takes e5, allowing black to take his queen. Which is followed by bishop f7 check and knight D5 mate.