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Any Suggestions For Me to Improve My Play




I run into a lot of games like these that I've been playing (OTB, on other sites, and lichess) where I make a lot of inaccuracies but nothing super bad. I don't feel like I'm improving in chess (especially not for speed in standard). Anyone have any tips on how to improve my play or my speed?

One other thing to mention is that I've been accustomed to playing certain openings and rarely go outside of my opening repertoire...should I expand my opening variety?
@ThisIsRex , if you want to improve in chess , I'd say you play with different kinds of openings , not just one. Also , you should play mostly casual of any time control. Also , you should start playing with the computer. Start with level 1 , then slowly , when you think , you're good enough , start playing at level 8.

As for speed , well , play bullet and UB games. And also , do hand exercises and play outdoor games like tennis and badminton.( as playing tennis increases coordination between your hand and your eyes)

Hope this helped you.
I think you should provide some additional information:
What rating do you have roughly?
What are the time controls you usually play on?
How much time do you spend playing?

I just checked the first game and although I am not the best player myself, there are some obvious mistakes in your opening. You already lost a pawn in the beginning and black took control of the center more or less for free, additionally. Later you entered some kind of El Dorado, where you lost a piece effectively. To be honest, I would not call that inaccuracies, but rather something quite bad.

The second game was way more equal, although some moves looked very dubious to me (I did not check with the engine).

Overall you sometimes loose pieces in messy situations and your openings are somewhat questionable.
I would recommend to play rather slow games (as all the streamers on master level suggest, I watch) and take time to think about the consequences of every move. Analyse every game first on your own, then with the engine. Ask yourself, where you predicted the moves differently from the engine and try to get an answer, why it is like that.

At least, that helped me to improve.
@LarryWest

Thank you for your comment. Something to clarify at first. I am playing the black pieces in the first game...I'm not sure why it flipped the board for the forum.

I tend to play slow time controls. If you look at my ratings, my bullet rating is significantly lower than anything else and my blitz rating is currently above 1900 just because I've been playing longer TC blitz games. I prefer to play longer time controls and my OTB rating is unofficial, but I've been able to go hand and hand with some CMs and NMs that I know in real life. I expect my FIDE rating to be between 1800-2000 if I were to get one. My lichess ratings seem to be congregating around 2000.

I don't play standard too much as of right now, but am acclimating to play at least 10 games a day (preferably in blitz or rapid time controls) mixed in with a couple classical games a week. Currently I have been playing as many OTB games as I can with the chess players that I know irl which usually consists of an hour long game per day.

Thanks for the suggestions below, I will consider that next time I analyze one of my games.
I'm struggling as well to consistently stay over the "2k wall". I think what's helping me or at least making me more comfortable, is to start playing new openings. This way the board is going to be structured differently from what i'm used and helps me seeing new strategies. Your rating is going to go down a bit (with new openings) but in the long run i think you are going to be more prepared. Also check games from GMs and better players, there's always a lot to learn there. Good luck!
#1
I comment on the second game
4...d5 5 Nxe5 is bad for you. The game continuation with 6 Qxd5 is bad for you too. What did you calculate? If you play sharp moves like 4...d5, then you must calculate carefully. You only spent 9.8 seconds and this is a 20+10 time control. Before you play such a sharp move you should calculate for about 60 seconds to make sure everything is all right. 4...exd4 is simple and good and requires no calculation.
9...Bc5 allows white to gain a tempo with Nb3 so as to develop Bc1. 9...Nc6 attacking pawn e5 is stronger.
12...O-O-O loses a pawn. Better and safer 12...O-O
13...Rhf8 is risky again in case of later e6 and e7 13...Rdf8 is safer
Why do not you take the pawn 17...Rxe6
23...c5 24 Rc1 leaves you with a passive rook at a5 and a shaky pawn at c5. 23...Rd5 attacking d4 and centralising
28...a6 What good does this do? It is often wrong to play pawn moves as it is better to keep the tempo in reserve in the endgame: bring your king to the center first 28...Kd7
30...Ke6 neglects the defence of pawn d4 better 30...Re6 so the rook can defend pawn d4 from behind and the king can pass it
34...Kd6 35 Rd5+ is bad for you 34...Ke6
39...g6 is the wrong approach: you can give up one of your doubled pawns to capture his pawn g4 and then you have a passed pawn. Saving one of the doubled pawns is not as important as capturing his pawn. 39...Rg3 Rook endings call for aggressive play
40...a5 41 Rb6+ and you are in trouble: still 40...Rg3
This is a 20+10 game and you and it with more time than you started with i.e. you played as if it were 0+10
Use all the time allowed by the time control. Time is a resource, use it.
Most chess games are essentially decided by move 30. So use all your time before move 30 and then finish the game on increment.
Hit me up if you like, we'll play 2 15+10 games and after we analyze em together via zoom or something like that. 1st lesson is for free.
Thank you @tpr for your suggestions on time management and calculation. I definitely will follow them for my future games. Also thank you for your analysis of my game.

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