lichess.org
Donate

Can I improve on my own by playing so many games?

To expand on @will_is_myth, it's not the time that restricts the learning process, but it's understanding what went wrong. @tpr showed a game where you made a simple, tactical mistake. Until someone (including yourself) shows you this mistake, and you make an effort to correct it, you will continue to make the same mistake.

Strange that people always say that repetition of good behavior is good (for learning), but never seem to say that the repetition of bad behavior is bad.
Thanks all for the inputs.

Maybe chess is not for me after all.
It really depends what you want from chess. For me it's a living puzzle game and less about beating opponents. Sure it's nice to win but you will lose half your games. That's just how ratings work.

Unless you are talking about becoming a Grandmaster. That's a huge goal. Find what you enjoy about chess and don't make massive goals.
@ CzarSquid,

Certainly no, I have no dreams of becoming a Grandmaster at this game. That will not bring much satisfaction to me. I would prefer winning the jackpot in a lottery, and that is many times better than multiple grandmaster titles.

I feel chess is a brutal and ruthless game. And I often wonder, why can't it be a friendly game where both players enjoy it. It seems to me like chess is a game that favors the terrorist mindset.
@bayabas423
Even when you don't keep score, every game is brutal and ruthless if you have a winner. Even tic-tac-toe, where good players will always draw, ever player tries to play the best move, which makes the game ruthless.

I'm not defending chess or trying to imply that you didn't know that every game worked in this fashion.
@ jonesmh

Lately, I have the feeling that chess was designed as a playground for terrorists rather than a game where players can enjoy after a sortie on the board. Even having a tooth extracted brings some feeling of relief and a smile knowing that the pain won't be there, despite losing one tooth.
The fastest and best way to improve is with a coach.

If that isn't an option, there's a ton of books/videos that offer suggestions for quality chess improvement.

It takes hard work though, which tends to stop a lot of people. Working for immediate gratification is fun and all but can't progress on that alone.
@ioxod,

It would have been nice to have quality coaching, since I am naturally a fast learner, but I can never afford that. Whatever little money I have goes to the medicines that old people like me need in order to live a little while longer.

Though, there are things that I can never learn, like swimming and dancing, or even singing. Though I sing alone with the faucet as my silent audience when in the bathroom. I prefer to eat rather than learning to cook.

Sadly, you are right. Improvement and progress is slow and gradual. It can not happen over night. But I just wish there is fun in chess, rather than playing the brutal way to win.

This game I played as anonymous. And I feel I was ruthless and brutal that the opponent left the game. I felt like I played like a heartless terrorist in this game. And I was not happy with that. I feel that chess should be an enjoyable game, for both players. lichess.org/uOoZ27Qg/black#0

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.