3 Tips to Improve Quickly in Chess

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There is no magic formula to improving in chess and the same is true for anything in life. These tips that I'm going to give are nothing new. In fact, they are probably the simplest and most mundane pieces of advice that I could give. But they actually make sense if you think about them. You will definitely hear this from other people as well. This is not the first time that you probably heard of this either. But after dabbling in other things, I've been able to realize the truth in these tips or guidelines, whatever you want to call them.

Play a lot

Think of learning chess as similar to learning a new language, playing a new instrument, getting into a sport, or even learning computer programming. When you first look at it, you would understand absolutely nothing. You would have to get a grasp of the rules and the basics first. From there, you can add on to your knowledge through experience and practice. So with that in mind, there is really no get-better-quick scheme. All it takes is the determination, the drive, and the effort to get better. It's all a function of time and effort. The more time and effort you put into it, the more you would progress.

The more you spend time playing chess, the more your brain would get accustomed to it. It will become easier for you to make calculations in your head. You can see patterns easily or come up with ideas that would be good for strategy in certain positions. But, of course, just simply playing a lot can only get you so far. There is no point in playing four hours a day when you don't really know how to improve. You'll probably keep making the same mistakes and you'll just get frustrated.

Play against stronger players

You can ask help from people who are stronger than you. They don't have to be professional coaches, they just need to have more experience and knowledge on the topic. If you really want to get better than where you are now, you need someone who would show you the way. Maybe there is someone in your local chess club who is a master or at the very least, has had good tournament experience. You can play sparring matches with them. 

If they have the time, maybe you can ask them to tutor you. It would not only be helpful to you but it would also be useful for them. Because they are able to impart their knowledge to you, it would stimulate them to think of ways to look at different positions such that it will be easier to grasp concepts. Of course, sparring matches should not be the only thing you do. It would make no sense if you don't know why you lost unless you lost on time even though you had a superior position.

Analyze your games

Analysis is important because then you would be able to pinpoint your weaknesses and so improve on them. Sometimes, or most of the time, for us beginners it will be very difficult to even know what you did wrong. So you need someone to point that out and help you understand the nuances of the position. It's best to have someone help you with analyzing your games. But if there's no one who could help you, using the computer engines may help.

Conclusion

When I say that these are tips to improve "quickly" in chess, I do not mean that they are meant to help you get better overnight. That is simply ridiculous. Concepts in chess take time and experience to mold your understanding of them. Much like learning a new language, you have to immerse yourself in chess to improve your calculation, planning, technique, pattern recognition, and other skills that would help you improve in chess. With the right motivation and guidance, I think anybody has the ability to master chess. Though talent plays a big factor for climbing the elite ladder, hard work and tenacity will definitely give anybody a good boost.