Questions from a lower rated played

Hey guys, I'm somewhat new to lichess.
I've always been a lower rated player but I'm working towards fixing that. Here below is a game where I as a <1400 player was in a winning position against a near 1800 player. I ran out of time, but I had a winning position.
I was never taught chess formerly in a club or by any players, I've just played and played and am just now learning opening theory (got a neat little book by Fred Reinfeld on the Stonewall and Sicilian Dragon variation the other day, been throwing myself at it and then I will learn more openings of course.)

I'm not making this post as a "oh look at me I'm doing so well from nothing" but more of a "I am nothing and I would appreciate any help I could get." :)

In the game below I am playing black, and I made the mistake of letting my queen get pinned. I saw the pin and wasn't worried because of a queen sac that could lead to an advantage so I went for it. (Right now I'm not so much focused on winning games as learning when I can get away with things and when I can't.)

After seeing stockfishes analyses of my queen sac that starts on move 16, I of course realized that I only got away with it because of incorrect responses to my threats.



My primary question stems from the fact that if white hadn't blundered, that queen sac would have been an atrocity. But during the game, it looked really good for me. Granted, it was blitz so there wasn't a lot of time to think.

So then I ask, how do I achieve a higher scope of the game? I don't want scuffles to come out in my favor because of blunders by my opponents. Obviously if I had more insight I would have realized the sac was no good, because white could avoid it. But, white did not avoid it thereby almost rewarding me by allowing me to think it was a good sac. If not for stockfish, then I would have thought it was brilliant and aimed for the same mediocrity in future games. What does it take to train the mind during chess to be able to determine good from bad when it comes down to a more complicated position?

Cheers guys, thanks for your time if you indulged me.

I am not really an expert player, but from my opinion, he just wasn't taking you seriously enough. I have the same problem playing against lower rated players, and higher rated players. Also emotions take place - if you are on a losing streak, and you meet a weak player, you try to make a quick win, and don't play positionally. That's why, if you lose a game, just stop playing and wait for a better time. The same thing goes for time wins/luck wins (they happen more often then you would think), I wouldn't recommend playing after them.But if you had a really good game, where you managed to outplay the opponent, I would first recommend to analyse it, and then play an another one. If you want, we could also play couple games, and i'll (try) to give you some tips. I was also on 1300 like a year ago, so i hope my advices could be helpful later on.

1) Play longer time control: rapid or classical. Blitz is too fast and rewards shallow play. "Blitz kills your ideas" - Fischer.
2) Do not study openings, but instead study endgames, rook endings in particular. Opening study helps you beat weaker players, that you should beat anyway, but does nothing to make you stronger. Endgame study provides insight in the game that enhances your strength.
3) Study annotated grandmaster games. Learn from the best.
4) Solve tactics puzzles here on lichess.
5) Analyse your lost games. Learn from your mistakes.

Blitz does NOT kill ideas. Fischer is crazy.

tpr, I'm going to have to disagree with you about not studying openings. There are plenty of openings that give a very wide advantage to a player if you don't know how to respond. I literally don't know openings, like if you asked me to play one I'd go "here's the first move, I know that much." Telling someone not to study openings when they wish to get better at chess is backwards advice... In any game, and life in particular it starts at the beginning. Yes, you are right, don't narrow the focus to just openings (I had no intent of doing that), but to tell someone to NOT study openings because it doesn't make you stronger is ridiculous....

@tpr I must say, u r just plain wrong.

It would say analysis. For each interesting game you finish, use an engine to analyse it and see where your assessment during the game was right or wrong, and why. If "why" is "time" then play slower tempo.

I have to agree with @tpr. Simply understanding opening principles will get you a long way. After all, what's the point of winning a pawn in the opening and not being able to convert it in the endgame?

Also, as tpr mentioned, playing longer games is very important. At least more rapid 15+10 games will help you a lot.

Have fun playing chess!

I have to disagree with @tpr (again).

Openings are the backbone of your middlegame. Studying the opening (emphasis on main lines!) will get you fantastic positions compared to your opponents, especially at this level, and more crucially you will understand WHY your position is good, and be able to play it better. Study both lines and ideas!

A word of warning, though: don't try to study complex or "computerish" main lines where everything is crazy/irrational and simply memorised (e.g. stay away from anything called Poisoned Pawn...)

Don't study tactics here on lichess. Use chesstempo, it's much better: chesstempo.com/
Do standard tactics to improve calculation, and blitz tactics to improve pattern recognition.

So:
1) Play classical or rapid (15+10/20+10 or longer) with analysis. I find using Axel Smith's List of Mistakes very helpful.
Play blitz too, it's fun! Just don't replace long chess with it.
2) Study the middlegame, using annotated GM games or videos, and middlegame books. Chernev's Most Instructive Games of Chess is a classic.
3) Study the endgame. Capablanca's Best Endings is a good practical ending book, and there are plenty of free video resources for theoretical positions. There's also Silman's Complete Endgame Course and De La Villa's 100 Endgames You Must Know, also available on chessable.
4) Study the opening. Pick a simple repertoire and buy a text-heavy book to learn it from.
5) Study the basic tactical motifs and do tactics on Chesstempo, or use Axel Smith's Woodpecker Method.

Here to help if you need me to elucidate anything.

i also vote for what @tpr #3 said.

Concrete game, if he plays 2.c3 ('Alapin') then answer immediately Nf6 or d5. You need to attack his center to prevent him setting up a pawn duo e4 d4. If he gets this pawn duo he will have a permanent space advantage. If he plays it optimal such a position could arise:



This is a clear advantage for white.