I am a very poor player, but I always hear the same thing:
Try to control the centre early, develop your bishops/knights and get castled ASAP.
However I find these tactics can lead to aggressive counter-play which loses momentum, regardless of playing Black or White.
Surely trying to build a few blockades of pawn islands first is advantageous, at least for poor players like myself who are vulnerable to traps by much better players, especially after developing my bishops and knights and then castling within the first 10 moves.
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated
You should clarify your goal in chess. For most people that involves getting better. And the way you get better in chess is by playing better moves. And better moves are generally, at some point, not going to be what we'd like to play.
For instance a common one people get stuck at is the crazy wild speculative attack phase. These sort of attacks are really fun to play, and you can absolutely destroy in some games with them. But at some point if you want to improve you need ensure your attacks are based on more than just a bit of swashbuckling and hope.
So too in your position. It's entirely possible that playing more properly might have some short term negative results. After all playing what you're comfortable with is often going to be easier than doing something new. But if you'd like to improve, then you'll find that playing passively in the opening is rarely a path to longterm success.
A beginner's book would help a lot.
@TheRider Can you provide some concrete (game) examples? If done correctly, quick development and controlling the centre should lead to *gain* of the initiative/momentum when your opponent tries to counter-attack.
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I suppose an example would be my last game, classical 60min against an opponent rated 400+ higher than me, I felt I played well until I blundered my Queen with a stupid error, and for some reason my opponent simply left the game after 30+ mins meaning I could claim the victory.
The irony in the above game is I did castle by move 8, but I did move 4 pawns in that space of time
First of all: you play too fast. This was a 60+0 time control and at the end you have 30 useless unused minutes on your clock, i.e. you played as if it were 30+0 time control. Take time to think.
4 g3 is a pointless move. On move 2 you could play it to develop your bishop to g2. As you have played your bishop on move 2, the move 4 g3 serves no purpose at all, it is loss of time and weakening. It does nothing to develop your pieces into play or for control of the centre.
7 Nh3 puts the knight on the rim. 7 Nf3 does something for the centre. There are instances where Nh3 is preferable, but this is not one.
9 Bg5 just loses a piece.
11 Bh6 loses a 2nd piece.
17 f5 loses the queen.
You have played 8 of your available 60 minutes and you are completely lost.
Take time to think before you move.
Most games are decided in 30 moves.
In a 60 move time control you should think 2 minutes per move on the average. At the begin you can play slower: you can always speed up towards the end.
I recommend switching on move confirmation in your profile. You think about your move. You move. Then you check if it is no blunder. Then you confirm your move.
In the above game, black is already quite a bit better after just 4. .. d5. In chess white has a small advantage of the first move. To be behind after 4 moves should not be an acceptable result.
In that game your opponent went out of his way to avoid playing the obvious move in the position for reasons we can only imagine. And this is what I meant in my comment. You can defeat players that are not particularly great playing in a wide array of ways. But if your goal is to improve, then you should not optimize your play to do well against not great play - but against the best play there is.
HI Rider,
it sounds quit stupid but I think one way to improve your chess is to train with Stockfish in a challenge Level like 4.
After every game make an analyze to see your weakness.
Make only short games about 10-15min.
I am also a poor player and try often to make a perfect opening.
My experience with Lichess opponents is also compare with you.
They play very aggressive but If you know how to react you get a feeling for some situation and make better moves.
An opening book for beginners sounds good but the chapter opening is very complex.
Also the Learn apps of Lichess are very helpful.
chears
Alex
Thank you everyone for your feedback, some excellent advice, but as I stated in my OP I am a poor player, some players have a natural gift for the game and others (like myself) struggle when playing opponents rated 100+ higher and are prone to stupid inaccuracies and blunders.
I do like the idea suggested by Pressburg (Alex)
I must confess to never having beaten stockfish higher than level 3, and that was just once.
I suppose I must just accept I am a poor player, not everyone can be Fischer or Karpov etc.
I love to play Chess, and I guess that is more important than worrying about and trying to study and learn, I'll never be a 1700+ player, and I accept that.
I play Chess for fun primarily, I have no inclination to be a master, at my age I do not have the time to read/study and play 8 hours a week.
