simple: don't give up material. that's it. playing at 1400 means not hanging pieces (throwing away material), falling for simple 1-move tactics (pins, forks, etc).
basic basic tactics.
I agree with this, also play lots and lots of games !
I was wondering what you needed to know to play at a 1400 level? Openings?
Is there a path to improve your play to this level? What would you suggest?
the difference between knowing 2 openings and knowing 12 is probably about 200 points.
Practice makes perfect don't drop pieces.
Just need tactics!!!
Buy a premium membership and use chess mentor. 
I am not 1400 but I think I am on my way.
This may not work for others, but when I went from 1050 to 1500 in about 2 or 3 weeks I was mostly doing positional study. I tried to focus on the big picture. (Reasess your Chess is what I'm trying now to go further.) the positional study included endgame study and analysis.
bones, i think you where likly underrated at 1050 or else scored some lucky wins..
My highest Chess Rating Points ever was 1724 on September 19th.
What's with all these unsolicited stats about you, estevon? Nobody ever asked and it's not adding anything to the conversation.
I would say positional maneuvering is an important next step in the learning process. If you can see what squares you want to control/contest then it can be easier to form a plan around that.
Another little secret that I learned is that bishops are slightly better than knights. Now that is not necessarily true all the time of course it depends, but if you can try and hold on to your bishop pair especially if its an open position do so. In line with that idea is that its better to retreat the bishop than the knight because obviously the bishop has long range wheres retreating the knight makes it ineffective.
simple: don't give up material. that's it. playing at 1400 means not hanging pieces (throwing away material), falling for simple 1-move tactics (pins, forks, etc).
basic basic tactics.
And not losing material to two- and three move tactics (and winning your opponent's material when he gives you the chance) is 2200+, in online chess.
Basically the most basic skill in chess is to make safe moves. When you have decided on a move, always check whether it is safe -- at a minimum check all the opponent's checks, captures and one move threats.
All the rest (strategy, openings, etc) is minor details compared to making safe moves.
Read "The Encyclopedia of Chess Wisdom" by Eric Schiller. Probably better than any other chess writer i've come accross, Schiller is perfect for those setting out on their chess playing career, as it's all about the simple ideas outlined in this thread, i.e. basic strategy and tactics. That and prectice. Also, remember the pain! Every thrown away game due to a piece left hanging informs your progress, and I'm fairly convinced that to get to 1500+ is a matter of avoiding the intense embarressment/irritation that comes with such simple blunders.
What rating system is everyone talking about here. USCF? FIDE? or Chess.com?
heres wat i think is the difference between the rating levels
900-1100 not making to many blunders
1200-1300 a good opening and a few tactics
1400-1500 great at tight endgames, a good opening and tons of tactics.
1600+ tactics mastered opening great endgame maybe being skillful while trading off pieces.
As you progress you'll understand better how little players of even 1600+ actually know.
I wouldn't even think of it in terms of ratings. Essentially all you are doing is refining your game. 1400 is just a number. Focus on strengths and weaknesses, and learn to use both to your advantage. For instance, if you are good with your bishops or knights, focus on openings that use them well. Likewise, find out which pieces you have the hardest time playing against, and then find ways of killing those particular pieces (ie, if you aren't good against someone who plays well with bishops or knights, find away to exchange the pieces away so you aren't playing on their terms.
Avoid faster time games. Faster games will not help you improve. You need time to think to get better. However, faster games provide other bonuses. If you want to learn a new opening, you can play 5 quick games, each slightly differently, and see how well you do. Then move on to slower games with a better understanding of whats good and bad with that particular opening.
Again, forget the ratings. If you do get to 1400, then it will become 1600. A huge part is focusing on mistakes. Reduce yours, and capitalize on your opponents mistakes. A large part of this is being able to see, and know that your opponent actually did make a mistake. So take your time, and think. Learn how to notice the mistakes, and find ways to exploit them.
Finally, when learning something new, for the beginning part, it is all pretend. No body starts out good. They start clumsy, and play people better than them. They start to see better and better moves, and they use them, but of course in the beginning they don't know what they are doing. All you do to start is 'pretend'. And to become better and pretending, you have to find moves that are better and better, so keep playing people that can beat you. After enough time, and seeing the same sophisticated moves and combinations etc enough times, you won't be pretending anymore. You'll know your stuff, and be able to back it up.
One last thing, a huge part of chess is the use of space. Learn to create space so that you can develop your players, and find ways to move intelligently to limit your opponent's ability to use space. Once it is no longer a weak opponent vs a stronger opponent, where one player loses in the opening, it becomes two opponents who both open successfully, then it is a matter of who can maneuvre the best. Make sure you can develop, attack, and defend with sufficient space to do so. Strong pawn formations, developing key players, - knights and bishops early on. Castle early. etc. If you run out of space and can't move your pieces, you lose all momentum, and it gives it all to your opponent.
And!! Learn to sacrifice pieces. Vital! You will become a significantly better player with looking and being able to execute sacking. You will also improve you game just naturally. Learning to play a piece down, for instance trade a bishop for two pawns, or knight for two pawns, a rook for a knight and a pawn, or just a bishop, etc. There are multiple variations. One of my favourites is giving up one of my rooks and pawns, to get their bishop and knight. Technically a fair trade point wise - six for six, but I find keeping the bishop and knight to be an extreme advantage. Once you learn to play well even when you are down pieces, you become that much better. Also, it can throw your opponent it off when you do it well positionally. Whenever you can weaken their castle by taking out a couple pawns or the knight/bishop that is guarding the king, it gives them that much more to worry about and defend. You be down pieces, but you learn to capitalize on position and force the mate.
Well, hopefully some food for thought.
As someone whose rating hovers around 2000-2100 here (when I work at it), about the only thing I do really well is not drop material. The rest of my game is pretty lack-luster, boring even. Sure I have some half-way decent opening, middle game and endgame skills (or I couldn't convert all those material plusses into wins), but in my experience if you don't drop material you are pretty much unbeatable by anyone under 2000 around here. Up to that point, tactics should be the major (but not exclusive) portion of your training program.
go for the draw...
1. Endgames. I no matter my position I almost always loose to higher rated players in the endgame. I hate studying the endgames and consequently loose here.
2. Tactics. After move 3-4 of an opening tactics can start coming into play. Knights seem especially tricky to learn to use properly.
3. ALWAYS calculate one more move than you think you need. When you think a tactic is good, calculate the next move to check, it is surprising how often that one extra move saves you a blunder!
4. Play better rated players than you. You just concentrate more and search for the move you should make rather than make the obvious move that may not be the best.
5. With openings don't bother learning 10 moves. Learn what the idea of the opening is i.e. key squares to focus on and where you want your pieces. I find I learn it much quicker this way, you calculate what needs to be done and so learn the patterns of the openings. I really don't think you need to learn the openings past 3-4 move at this level. Not learning them also gives you the tactics practice too :)
Agree with everyone else that #1 is not throwing material away. You've got to be aware at least two - three moves ahead to take pieces and to defend pieces.
#2 - Tactics. Try to find the three - six move combination that will give you an advantage or the opportunity.
I would then say that #3 is endgame. Once you can get out of the opening okay you'll find that a whole lot more of your games will be won or lost by the player with the better endgame skills. Too many players (consciously or not) plan on winning or losing without actually getting to the endgame and so are very weak closers.