We all want to improve in chess. That's for sure.
That's precisely the reason why we spend countless hours:
- Studying the intricacies of the Ruy Lopez.
- Play through games of today's chess greats like Carlsen and Anand, which is usually beyond the amateur's chess mind.
- Burn the midnight oil as we try to discover the secrets of Rook and Pawn endgames.
- Try to master the art of attack in chess.
And those are just to name a few. Now, here's what's surprising: a lot of amateurs spend hundreds of hours studying BUT only a handful improve in chess SIGNIFICANTLY and make it to the expert level. And even fewer are the blessed amateurs who break into the master's realm.
This could only mean one thing: the chess training regimen of most class players are inefficient! Unless you want to get stuck in your current level and admire the chess greats from afar, you may want to give your chess training regimen an overhaul. To improve your chess game, you should focus on things that matter!
And that's what this page is all about - the 5 PRO tips (which is surprisingly ignored by many) that will answer the question: "How to get better at chess?"
Improve In Chess PRO Tip 1
Learn an adequate thinking process. This is number one folks! After all, chess is a thinking game. And if you don't know how to think right during the game, no matter how much tactical patterns you have studies, how many endgames you have memorized, etc., you can hardly bring that knowledge over the board. NM Heisman, GM Smirnov, IM Silman - these renowned chess coaches are saying the same thing. Don't you think it's about time you listen to them?
Improve In Chess PRO Tip 2
Learn the BASIC tactical motifs - know them by heart! And by saying know them by heart, I mean the moves come as quick and natural as multiplying 4 by 4. Pins, double attacks, trapping pieces, removing the defender, skewers, etc. - all of these are basic tactical motifs.
There are a lot of amateurs out there who think they are already good at tactics BUT can't count the material correctly after a simple capturing sequence! Guys, I know you know it. An amateur game, most of the time, is NOT decided on how well you have played the opening or how good you are at chess strategy. It all boils down to basic tactics.
Go back to the basics!
Improve In Chess PRO Tip 3
Proper time management - this is a very neglected part of chess. The clock is part of competitive chess. It can be your best friend or worst enemy if you don't know how to handle it. Play too fast and you will end up making second-best moves or worst blunders. Play too slow and you will end up in time trouble.
Improve In Chess PRO Tip 4
Play enough slow games! NM Dan Heisman recommends playing at least 100 games at G/60 or slower every year. This should give your chess thought process (yes, back to pro tip 1) excellent practice. Don't be lured by the convenience of online speed games where you cannot bring what you have learned forward.
Improve In Chess PRO Tip 5
Learn how to evaluate properly. When we calculate a series of moves for different candidates, here comes the evaluation phase. If you don't know how to evaluate properly, you can end up dismissing a good move, thinking that it's a mistake when, in fact, the position it brings is winning!
