When I play chess I always take one of two roads which both lead to defeat.

Either I play very carefully, leaving my opponent open to all of the attacking. With carefully I mean I only move important pieces to spots which are defended.

Or I play too recklessly which makes me lose important pieces to the stupidest of decisions. Seriously, I lost tons of queens to spots which were very clearly defended.

Either way I always lose. So:

Does anyone know of: tactics, videos, rule of thumbs, anything. Which can help to find a good balance?

Also: When should you start strategising about check-mating the king?

  • @owenfromcanadaEnglish
    1•10 months ago

    A few things that helped me when I was at a similar spot:

    • Don’t play “hope chess.” That is, always assume your opponent can see what you’re trying to do, don’t “hope” they don’t notice.
    • Don’t force your opponent to make a good move. Sometimes it’s good to attack their pieces, but if moving their piece out of the way results in a better attack on you, it’s a net loss. The inverse of this rule is true: if you can develop your pieces or otherwise position things well while forcing your opponent to waste turns shuffling pieces around, you’re gaining ground.
    • Your emotional state will affect how you play. You can’t play impartially, but you can try to be aware of your mental state to be more aware of your default tendencies and correct for them.
    • Learn to get comfortable with tension. Just because a piece is being threatened or there’s an opportunity to attack doesn’t mean it’s the best move.