Atomic beginner guide - Simple tips

Alr, so if you expect me to go into a detailed guide about lines, you're terribly wrong. I'll just cover some good ways for beginners to advance!

Opening explorer:

A simple, yet really effective way of learning lines, simple mistakes and openings. Where to access it (frequently asked question)? Open this link, and press the little book next to the board. This will open ''opening explorer'', which holds the most used openings and lines on the Lichess game-database. If you ever have a question like ''Why did i lose to this trap? How to counter it?'', just open opening explorer and search it up! :)

Puzzles:

You might ask: ''Puzzles? For atomic? Those don't exist!''. And yes, in fact, they don't exist on Lichess. But there is another site, based on Lichess: Chess Variants Training. A great way of improving your tactical vision, also for more advanced players.

The best way of solving puzzles is by thinking for some time, don't rush moves, and rethink once you think you've found the solution. This might be hard, also for me (explains my terrible elo on there, check my profile if you're interested), but it's 100% the best way. If you don't understand a puzzle that you got wrong, click ''analysis board'', and it'll lead you to Lichess, where you can analyse it with stockfish! If the puzzle is incorrect, or has more solutions (and you're sure), don't forget to report it!

Playing in tournaments/arenas:

Altough the ''lobby'' play would seem better, with equal rated opponents, playing in tournaments (or tourneys, as i call it :)) is way better for improvement. Why? You'll just get paired with way to high opponents right? No.

The pairing system works on base of your rank in the tournament. In other words, doesn't matter the elo-difference, if two are on the same-ish rank, you may get paired. So what's so good about that? You'll get paired with ''low'' people, for simple playing experience and confidence, and after you get some points, you may get paired with high-elo people. Which is good! Even though you'll probably lose, you can learn alot from their traps, opening lines and strategies!

But, there is a catch. Getting paired vs a high opponent, but knowing he's higher, results in terrible tilt. So what to do against that? Use ZEN mode. It deletes all distractions, hides opponent name and elo, perfect! Only thing that might distract you is if your opponent beserks, but there is no way to hide that.

The correct timecontrol:

Never play a timecontrol in which the chance you get flagged (in other words lose by time) is high. Best timecontrols are 2+1, 3+0 and 3+2. And now we immediately come at a common mistake: Never beserk.
People might call you ''weak'' if you don't beserk, but it's actually really smart. While improving, the only thing that matters is well... That you improve! If you beserk, you have less time to think and to learn. Even though it is tempting, don't do it! That one extra tourney-point isn't worth it!

Anti-tilt:

What is tilt even? I think this is enough explanation:
A homemade ''meme'', made by me. :)
Explains enough, tilting is just simply losing once, and getting stressed over it, which results into more losses. It's an unspoken rule, that once you tilt, there is no way you're getting your elo back or even gain more.

So how to avoid it? Once you start noticing you play worse, you're getting tired, or even maybe due to emotions, stop playing. Instantly. Don't wait for the tilt to come, predict it.
(This explains why i mostly of the time have at max maybe 10 points in a tourney, with a 2000 performance. I know, if i keep playing, that's dropping terribly.)

But there is a catch. When you start noticing tilt, but it's early on the day, don't stop playing for the rest of the day, it makes you rusty. In other words, take some time off, maybe do some physical activity, and come back with motivation! When it's in the evening, you should trully quit for the rest of the day. No reason to come back later on the evening, you'll tilt even worse...

Atomic 960

Yep, it exists, atomic with a randomised homerank. The usual opening traps and lines don't work anymore, you'll have to think yourself! Just like with normal chess, this is one of the best ways to master atomic! But where can you play it? Again that one site... But seriously, great shoutout to the creators of that site, it's great!

But back to topic. That site is kinda dead, but if you want to play, DM me, most of the time i can play! And you can ofcourse also play it with your friends, and if you're lucky you'll catch someone in the lobby there! :)
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And at the end, just keep a good mood, don't worry about elo, and keep playin'! As long as you enjoy your progress and losses, you're improving! :)
And keep in mind, elo doesn't show your strength, your performance does! Elo is a number, ''perf'' is a level! Your elo will follow eventually...

@Silent_Entity, the atomic-playing ghost (in ur walls)