It took me over 500 games to cross the 1200, and here on lichess that is not even the starting elo points, i believe we start at 1300. Is this normal? Or am I officially retarded at chess?
Probably you are a begginer. Read Logical chess move by move, to get down the basics and do study and practice tactics!
We start at 1500.
Games like this do not help
Games like this do not help
Hey, don't worry, this game takes a lot of time. Keep going as long as you are having fun studying and analyzing your games. Study and practice often does not show on your Elo immediately, and if you are fixated on that number it can be really frustrating.
I'm not high ranked but maybe these tips can help you practice and improve:
- Solve tactics for accuracy. This means that you shouldn't move until you are 100% sure you calculated the winning variation. Do a few puzzles every day and try to remember the patterns you saw in them. I see you solved 75 (!!) puzzles today. That's way too much, go slowly.
- When evaluating a position, take all the time you need to go through a mental checklist to search for candidate moves: Calculate forcing moves -- checks, captures and threats, first your opponent's, then yours. If there are no forcing moves, search for undefended pieces. If there are no undefended pieces or your lines don't lead anywhere, improve your position by following opening and middlegame principles: control the center, develop your pieces efficiently to active squares, don't move the queen early, castle, don't make many pawn moves, place the rooks on open files or in the center, exchange if you control less territory or when up material.
- Analyze your own games (win or lose) immediately after. Go through them metodically and without an engine. Identify key points: first move you felt behind, first move out of opening preparation, moves that created imbalances. You can export and annotate them with Studies here in lichess. Then you can turn on the engine and see what you've missed.
- Check master games from the Romantic or Classical eras (19th to early 20th century), and try to understand how they placed their pieces and when they attacked.
A player above recommended Logical Chess Move by Move. It is a collection of classical games of masters vs weaker players, with every single move annotated. I found it really helpful and fun to go through :). Try to get it if you can.
I'm not high ranked but maybe these tips can help you practice and improve:
- Solve tactics for accuracy. This means that you shouldn't move until you are 100% sure you calculated the winning variation. Do a few puzzles every day and try to remember the patterns you saw in them. I see you solved 75 (!!) puzzles today. That's way too much, go slowly.
- When evaluating a position, take all the time you need to go through a mental checklist to search for candidate moves: Calculate forcing moves -- checks, captures and threats, first your opponent's, then yours. If there are no forcing moves, search for undefended pieces. If there are no undefended pieces or your lines don't lead anywhere, improve your position by following opening and middlegame principles: control the center, develop your pieces efficiently to active squares, don't move the queen early, castle, don't make many pawn moves, place the rooks on open files or in the center, exchange if you control less territory or when up material.
- Analyze your own games (win or lose) immediately after. Go through them metodically and without an engine. Identify key points: first move you felt behind, first move out of opening preparation, moves that created imbalances. You can export and annotate them with Studies here in lichess. Then you can turn on the engine and see what you've missed.
- Check master games from the Romantic or Classical eras (19th to early 20th century), and try to understand how they placed their pieces and when they attacked.
A player above recommended Logical Chess Move by Move. It is a collection of classical games of masters vs weaker players, with every single move annotated. I found it really helpful and fun to go through :). Try to get it if you can.
Everybody starts somewhere.
Just because the rating starts at 1500, that doesn't mean that is what is expected of anyone - especially those that may be relatively new to chess.
Along with #2 & #4 suggestions, maybe try more of the slower games where you can really look at the board and give your moves (and your opponent's moves) some thought.
As for being challenged (at chess), I'd say you're way ahead of the pack (that doesn't play chess) - simply because you're playing and can enjoy the game...
Just because the rating starts at 1500, that doesn't mean that is what is expected of anyone - especially those that may be relatively new to chess.
Along with #2 & #4 suggestions, maybe try more of the slower games where you can really look at the board and give your moves (and your opponent's moves) some thought.
As for being challenged (at chess), I'd say you're way ahead of the pack (that doesn't play chess) - simply because you're playing and can enjoy the game...
Chees is no easy, take your time, study and solve tactics.
You could consider taking a look at my profile, took a lot of back and forth before i started gaining some score (just an FYI today is not my day haha) however I feel that im getting better. Just keep having fun the score comes when it comes.
Improve pleasure first, then your elo !
There are two ways to improve at your point:
1. as mentioned above learn tactics.
2. Try to find an opening that you like. You probably won't find anyone at your level that plays a high number of correct moves, but your game will get structure. So take a look with d4 either at classical queensgambit or on London and for e4 at Spanish or Italien and for black for whatever suits you. Having a clear idea how to begin (while still checking for tactics) should improve you about 100 points. It takes a while, but it is worth it.
1. as mentioned above learn tactics.
2. Try to find an opening that you like. You probably won't find anyone at your level that plays a high number of correct moves, but your game will get structure. So take a look with d4 either at classical queensgambit or on London and for e4 at Spanish or Italien and for black for whatever suits you. Having a clear idea how to begin (while still checking for tactics) should improve you about 100 points. It takes a while, but it is worth it.
I took a look at a few of your games... you're not retarded... you are myopic. Winning at chess depends alot on your vision. It is your turn to make a move: Do you see any mating patterns? How is your king's safety? Are there any tactical plays on the board? Do you or your opponent have any hanging pieces? How is piece development coming along? How about piece coordination and pawn structure? Who has control of the center? Are all of your pieces active and giving your opponent a real headache? Do you own the open files and diagonals? Is there a passed pawn threat? Is there a passed pawn opprotunity? Does your opponent have any counter-play? What is your plan to win the game? Is this truly the best move? YOU NEED TO TRAIN YOURSELF TO SEE THE WHOLE BOARD. CIRCUMSPECTION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. It is not easy to look at a position and consistently answer so many questions and take note of so many things in 20 or 30 seconds... you may need to play longer time controls. It takes alot of practice and self discipline. If you continue to play in such a way that you only focus on 1 or 2 things at a time then you're gonna have a hard time. Try very hard to see more of the board and consider more than just 1 or 2 things at a time. BEST OF LUCK!
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