Feedback on analysis

@Vycm I agree. I made this post precisely because I was looking for advice from higher rated players.

Could you say more about how I can be more open to other possibilities during my games, and how I might avoid being too focused on one plan or idea?

When you are thinking you can look for several candidate moves. Those are moves that improve your position, or makes the opponents position worse. You spend some time analysing each move and then play the move that you think is the best.
It is not optimal to do this at each move, but try doing it a few times when having a critical position. Often the first move you can think of isn't the best.

@OhNoMyPants That is what I hope to do. I already have some awareness of minor piece imbalances, space, initiative, development, pawn structure, and open files. However, I feel like I never get to explore these topics in my own games because there are more pressing issues.

I think it would be ideal if my opponent's threats were immediately visible to me, as though I had a sixth sense for it, so that I could focus on the more interesting strategic ideas I mentioned above during my games. I'm glad to hear that the goals I'm setting for myself will get me closer to that point!

Thank you!

IM John Bartholomew has several series on his Youtube channel that are/would be quite advantageous for what you seek.

Here is a link to his channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC6hOVYvNn79Sl1Fc1vx2mYA

I would recommend starting with his chess fundamentals series and once you have worked your way through those, then his climbing the rating ladder series. He is very thorough, engaged, yet curtailing of where and how you can improve your own game; the question you ask can prove to have very extensive and tedious answers.

Hope this helps.

As for video recommendations - I found this one really well-made and helpful: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzGKPxJ5NYI

Thanks for sharing both John Bartholomew and ChessNetwork. I've already watched the chess fundamentals series and I've also seen ChessNetwork's beginner to master series as well. Those are all great resources, and I've done my best to apply their ideas to my own games.

I think I'm at a point where I want to focus more on my particular games and the specific mistakes that I'm making rather than studying general rules or principles.

@jumboshrimpscampi #16
Quote: I think I'm at a point where I want to focus more on my particular games and the specific mistakes that I'm making rather than studying general rules or principles.
Answer: Without a coach you will be difficult to improve in the game.
All the same, I think that the move Qd8-b6 is not needed. Better right away d7-d5! Analyze, apply general principles to a specific position, and do not forget to check your findings with stock fish analysis.

@ujcn I don't know which game you're talking about when you mention that Qb6 is not needed.

As for stockfish, I've actually been told the exact opposite by many high rated players. I've been told to never use stockfish in my own analysis when I'm still at a low rating, and that I will learn a lot more from making sense of games either with other players or just through my own reasoning. Do you agree?

@jumboshrimpscampi
Quite: @ujcn I don't know which game you're talking about when you mention that Qb6 is not needed.
Answer: But I know only one game that you played - the one to which you referred in the message #1.
Quite: .... Do you agree?
Answer: I myself use such a great tool for analyzing games like Stockfish ... Follow the installation of the trainer, and in other cases do as you please. I do not want to impose anything on you.