@MYMChessIan :
chesstempo.comI especially recommend the mixed mode, where a part of the positions are not winning and you have to find the best moves to basically not lose. That's less artificial than the usual puzzles: In a game nobody tells you, that you have a winning advantage.
Oh, thanks. Let me go check that out.
@nicksypilicksy ... 317 rapid games/ ave. opponent rating 1381?/ 51% win rate.... PUNCH UP!!! Play 1600 and 1700 players in 15+15 time controls or longer. Learn from your losses: post-game review and analysis... 20 minutes of tactics a day/ 20 minutes of endgame a day/ play through master games (2 to 3 a week) ....Don't put the cart before the horse; take things one day at a time. Your goal shouldn't be 1600 or 1700... try for 2000. good luck.
Solve some thousand puzzles on chesstempo or other site. From my experience 1700 players make around 1 easily visible blunder per game. That's why puzzles are most important. It is about pattern recognition and not about calculation. You can learn calculation later.
In parallel you have to learn some defense against 1. e4 and some against 1. d4 and do not switch to different opening for some months. Learn ideas behind openings that you play from youtube or some other place.
If you are ready to put real efforts than read one book about strategy. In order to be easier, you can get from Bill Wall page chess games from the book in SCID format and to play them on the phone. This will make reading easier.
@koko64 : Solving puzzles is about pattern recognition AND calculation. Easier puzzles require of course less calculation. But aside from mate-in-1 problems you have to check possible replies of the opponent at least briefly: and that's calculation.
