5 Tips on how to generally improve at Chess.

Hello there! Today, I will be giving you 5 tips about how to generally improve at chess. Let's begin!

Tip #1

Don't play super fast game modes like bullet or hyperbullet. If you want to improve at chess, play rapid or at least blitz. If you need to improve on time control, I would recommend 2+1 Bullet. If you aren't having fun, you can play bullet (1+0) but if you want to improve, don't. And, I would recommend taking breaks from only blitz and rapid if you are bored.

Tip #2

Analyze your games when you finish them. A lot of people, including (young) me, just go straight for the next game. Why analyze your game? Because, if there is a tactic, especially an opening tactic, you can learn from it. And, what you should try to do, is to learn from your mistakes and not repeat them. Of course, you definitely will repeat your mistakes, but try to minimize them. Also, don't just look at the engine and go "Oh this is what I missed." You should first in that position try to see what you missed and if you can't get it, then and only then do you use the engine and check it.

Tip #3

Don't study too much. Just know what your plan is. Study some basic opening theory, and if that is too complicated for you, then study a system like the King's Indian Defense, London System, etc. If you don't know what to do in the middlegame then you can go check out my other blog which talks about what to do in the middlegame. And study some basic endgames and endgame principles.

Tip #4

Practice tactical puzzles. On Lichess, you can customize what puzzles you want to do. I'd recommend practicing the puzzles that you are the worst at. Also solve endgame puzzles. Most of the time, people don't take puzzles the same way as games. They use instinct in games while they use their potential in puzzles. You have to learn how to scan a position for tactics quickly for game modes like Blitz. If you cannot do it, switch to Rapid. If you still cannot, switch to Classic and then slowly lower the time game mode once you can.

Tip #5

This is presumably the best tip. Think what your opponent can do. If you just do a move that looks nice, and you don't think about the move your opponent can make, you could be in big trouble. So, next time you think of a move, think what your opponent can do, and what you will do after that.

And that concludes our lesson! Feel free to re-read it if you didn't understand! And if you think I was wrong in any part of this, feel free to leave a comment! Bye!