How to Get Better At Chess

1. DO NOT PLAY BULLET, BLITZ, OR ANY FAST TIME CONTROL. The fastest time control that you can play that isn't absolute garbage is 5+5, which is still Rapid but barely Rapid. 5+5 is a time control that can be used if you don't have much time. If you have a lot of free time, then I suggest playing 10+10. 10+5, 15+10, 10+15, or even Classical if you have a LOT of free time. This step depends on your skill level. Look at my blog on "When can I play fast time controls again?" to know how masters can play bullet, blitz and other fast time controls with the overall same skill as they show in rapid and classical and other slow time controls.

2. Use Checks, Captures, and Attacks. When your opponent makes a move, always think in your head, "What does my opponent want?". I used this in a game vs. International Master Vladislav Nozdrachev, when in the Ruy Lopez, he played d6 to save his knight and also play c5 and c4, trapping my bishop on b3. (Context: ChessNutAryan vs IM Nozdrachev_Vladislav: Analysis board • lichess.org) I don't usually play the Ruy Lopez or have faced the Ruy Lopez, so I do not know the critical ideas or breakthroughs in this opening. But, using CCA, I saw that d6, an innocent move was actually threatening something lethal.

3. Do Puzzles. Puzzles is a great way to train your understanding of tactics, defenses, and attacks. I recommend using Lichess for starting puzzles, but when you reach a certain level, then Chess.com is a better way of doing puzzles, as most puzzles on Lichess after that can be very computer-ish. If you want to train fast-thinking under time trouble, then I recommend doing some Puzzle Storm(Lichess) or Puzzle Rush (Chess.com).

4. When you lose a game you thought you were winning in, put it in a study titled "My Mistakes". Then you can look over your mistakes and how you could've converted that winning position. If you were worse the entire game, then study the opening that you played in that game so you know the critical ideas. I recommend using Chessable to study some courses on the opening that you played, as Chessable has a course for any opening that isn't complete trash(like the Bongcloud, persay).

These ideas are what grandmasters and titled players don't tell you about. But now you do know them. Thanks to @ChessNutDerek for most of the ideas that I followed and still following to this day,

Aryan