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5 Common Mistakes in Chess

ChessAnalysisOpeningTacticsStrategy
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This article looks at five common mistakes (with examples) that regularly show up in games and have a big impact on results. They are not always obvious tactical oversights, but deeper issues in how players approach openings, planning, and decision-making. Many of these problems come from skipping key thinking steps or relying too much on intuition instead of concrete evaluation. Understanding and fixing them helps make your play more consistent and reduces avoidable mistakes.

1. Imaginary Counterplay

Players often rely on ideas that look active but don’t actually achieve anything. If the opponent can ignore or easily stop it, the counterplay is not real.

https://lichess.org/study/UVXIHuul/Ng5IwnHu

2. Unnecessary Concessions

Trading or weakening the position without need can create long-term problems. Always check what you gain before giving up space, structure, or key pieces.

https://lichess.org/study/UVXIHuul/9FQBcUje

3. Imprecise Openings

Playing opening moves without knowing key orders or ideas can lead to early imbalances or worse positions. Small inaccuracies can give the opponent easy equality or initiative.

https://lichess.org/study/UVXIHuul/JW3hDpt3

4. No Middlegame plan

After the opening, many players continue without a clear plan, making random improving moves. Every move should serve a purpose: improve pieces, target weaknesses, or prepare pawn breaks.

https://lichess.org/study/UVXIHuul/BQoEmev8

5. No Calculation

Relying on intuition instead of calculating concrete lines leads to missed tactics and blunders. Always check forcing replies before committing to a move.

https://lichess.org/study/UVXIHuul/qSTWwOhK

Outro

Thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it helpful.

I provide Chess training where I dive deeper into topics such as these. You can find more information on my personal website https://arthurchesstraining.carrd.co/.

And feel free to join my Lichess Team https://lichess.org/team/im-arthur-chess-coach