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Stuck at 500 elo for well over a year

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prqi

There are 3 important things that I believe you should do to improve.

1. Learn basic ending (King + Rook vs King, King + Queen vs King, etc). If you understand how to easily win this endings (and how to stall to try drawing), you'll convert your winning games easily

2. End your calculations in your opponent move. What will they probably do when you move a piece? They can surprise you, but best case scenario they shouldn't (and if they do, in best case it should be a mistake)

3. Stop playing faster time controls. You learn more by thinking, and this comes with slower time controls. Considering that games too long might be boring (specially for a begginer), focus on 10+5 and aim to end your games with 3 or less minutos on your clock.

Have fun!

TheMadDrummer99

I'm down for unrated games if you need practice.

SpelerThomas

Well I looked at one of your games. You were doing great in the opening. It really shows you watched a lot of chess videos. But try not to hang pieces. If your opponent plays a pawn move to attack your knight, it's best to just move the knight away so it doesn't get captured. Don't focus too much on 'danger levels', just play it safe. Bring your pieces to safe squares and if your opponent gives away a free piece, just take it. This should increase your rating.

JubilationTCornpone

One thing I've been trying to focus on is "make no bad moves." So, for example, you might have a case where you think a move is good, but you aren't sure. Then there's this other move that might not be as good, but you know it's not bad. So, make the second one. As long as you make no bad moves, your opponent will give you the game eventually. This is certainly true at 500, and probably still true at 1600 (where I want to get to). Above that, I won't pretend to know anything, but if you get that far you can tell me.

Another thing is, try to pause in your mind and actually look at the board. A lot of "missed moves" is because you think that of course you can't just plonk your queen down on d8 for checkmate in one--your opponent wouldn't allow that--so you don't even look at it. But in fact, it's sitting right there if you did look. Surely you can calculate one move, right? Yes, you can. But you have to look. Harder than it seems sometimes.

nvneeth

I used to watch a lot of chess videos but now i just play and that seems to have helped me a little and yes i hang my queen from time to time

KevinOSh

You are giving away too many free pieces in your games by leaving your pieces en-prise.

I recommend playing slower games, 15|10 or 30 minutes long. Once you decide on your move, on every move before your make it, prove it to yourself that the move you want to make is not a blunder.

How do you do that? You think about what your opponent's next move could be. Can any of your pieces be taken? Is your King safe? Is your Queen safe? Are there any forks? Are there any pins? Could you be missing a tactic? If necessary, sit on your hands. Do not move until you are fully satisfied that your move is safe.

Do this, and your rating will quickly rise above 1000.

TheMachine0057

Just pointing something out. Your playing 10 minute games. It's been over 2 years since you started your account, and you've only played about a hundred games. That's not a whole lot for someone wanting to improve. If they where OTB games you played, that would be something, but they are just online 10 minute games... I can tell you a big part of why you didn't improve these past couple years is because you played a fast time control, and you didn't play enough games.

338LM

I am 1550 - 1750 elo real elo 1600

ParanoidAndroid88

You haven't consistently played a lot of games. Play consistently, do a ton of puzzles, analyze your games after losses, watch chess videos, study mating patterns like 2 rook, queen, rook, etc.

IMO puzzles and focusing on not blundering are the biggest things to gain rating at your level.

Bgabor91

Dear Babsterbab,

I'm a certified, full-time chess coach, so I hope I can help you. happy.png Everybody is different, so that's why there isn't only one given way to learn and improve.

First of all, you have to discover your biggest weaknesses in the game and start working on them. The most effective way for that is analyzing your own games. There is a built-in engine on chess.com which can show you if a move is good or bad but the only problem is that it can't explain to you the plans, ideas behind the moves, so you won't know why it is so good or bad.

In my opinion, chess has 4 main territories (openings, strategies, tactics/combinations and endgames) and if you want to improve efficiently, you should improve all of these skills almost at the same time. That's what my training program is based on. My students really like it because the lessons are not boring (because we talk about more than one areas within one lesson) and they feel the improvement on the longer run. Of course, there are always ups and downs but this is completely normal in everyone's career. happy.png

If you would like to learn more about chess, you can take private lessons from me (you find the details on my profile) or you can visit my Patreon channel (www.patreon.com/Bgabor91), where you can learn about every kind of topics (openings, strategies, tactics, endgames, game analysis). I'm planning to upload at least 4 new videos per week, so you can get 4-8 hours of educational contents every month. I also upload daily puzzles in 4 levels every day which are available with a FREE subscription.

I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck with your games! happy.png

Lyudmil_Tsvetkov

Stockfish is stuck at 4000 for well over a year.

Also has problems.

SmasherBroYT

You need a coach bro, and I can be your free coach! Even people around 1700+ rated! To do that, Join My Free Online Academy! Improve at Chess For Free Instatly! : https://www.chess.com/blog/SmasherBroYT/stuck-at-the-same-rating

petmundo

just need to improve your skills and need play more.

ImTrashLOL_91

Same man. I actually did a grind up to nearly 900, but after several moths I lost all of it and back to the low 600's and can't seem to gain it back. What's weird is my brother who is 1,800 said I got a lot better and I beat people in real life now I used to have issues with. Weird.