I have been coaching chess for the last six years. These are some of the key things I have observed among children and, in some cases, adult improvers. Fixing these issues will help you in your chess journey.
Not Doing Over the Board Study
This is one of the most important factors for chess improvement. Most new students who join my classes do not study chess over the board. This is mostly because setting up all the pieces and making the moves feels boring.
Over the board study helps with:
- Improving chessboard vision
- Reducing screen time
- Developing a more serious approach
- Improving sitting capacity, which helps during tournament games
It is easy to get distracted while studying on a screen. We often start with one task and end up doing something completely different on the laptop.
You can begin with a 25 minute over the board session and gradually increase it to 60 to 90 minutes. Start with something you enjoy, but spend most of your time on calculation and studying top level games.
Lack of Chess Knowledge
This applies to players of almost every rating level. Many players simply do not have enough chess knowledge.
Lower rated players usually have a bigger learning curve than 2000 rated players because they still have many important things to learn. However, it is also important to understand that random knowledge about chess does not necessarily help you improve.
Random chess knowledge includes:
- Reading Wikipedia pages about chess players
- Watching fun commentary
- Playing bullet chess
I generally suggest the following activities for improving chess knowledge:
- Studying analysed games of Kasparov, Fischer, Anand, and Karpov
- Solving calculation and tactical positions
- Watching serious chess improvement podcasts that combine fun with knowledge
Not Spending Enough Time on Self Introspection
Almost nobody does this.
I have a WhatsApp group where I regularly ask students to spend 20 to 30 minutes thinking about themselves and writing down everything they notice. This helps students understand their own chess better. It also helps me understand what we should work on next and allows me to plan future lessons.
However, hardly one or two students complete this exercise.
Believe me, it helps a lot when planning lessons around specific weaknesses. It also improves the ability to think independently.
Not Coming Up With Original Ideas
Coming up with ideas is often considered a talent, but this ability can also be improved if a student works hard on it.
I see this issue in some students. They listen to their coaches and blindly follow every suggestion. They cannot think of tricks during the game. If I teach them 1.e4, they will never consider playing 1.Nf3. They are afraid that they will lose the game if they play something different from what the coach suggested.
Developing originality and coming up with your own ideas is extremely important. Players should not try to remember and follow every coaching suggestion during a game. They should think independently and come up with their own opening ideas and plans.
Poor Endgame Skills
This point is especially relevant for players rated 1700 and above.
Whenever a new student joins, I often see that their endgame skills are close to zero. I have a fixed set of endgame positions that most of them fail to solve.
I remember studying the Benko endgame book when I was young. Endgames can feel boring, and studying them alone can feel even more difficult. However, knowing the core endgames is a crucial part of chess and one of the most important skills a serious player must develop.
To improve your endgame ability, you can study either of these books:
- 100 Endgames You Must Know
- Silman Endgame Course
Watching and analysing practical endgames also helps. Daniel King has an excellent endgame series that players can study.
Lack of Interest in Solving Calculation Positions
Calculation helps shape the thinking ability of the brain. It is one of the most important skills in chess.
Tactics are a part of calculation, and both skills are equally important. I have seen many players get bored while solving calculation positions. They eventually become stuck at the same level.
Almost every chess position can become a calculation position if you approach it that way. With strong calculation skills, you can cross the 2000 rating level more easily.
However, you need a systematic approach to calculation training. It is difficult to follow such a system if you do not enjoy solving positions.
I recommend the following books:
- The Woodpecker Method Part 1
- 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players
- 1001 Chess Exercises for Advanced Club Players
Avoidable Major Mistakes
This is a very solvable problem.
Major mistakes usually happen when players lose concentration or spend too much time during the middlegame. To avoid such mistakes, you must remain careful throughout the game and manage your time properly.
Tactical training also plays an important role in avoiding blunders. When you have already seen a similar tactical pattern during training, you are more likely to recognise it during a game.
Lack of Seriousness
A growth mindset is very important if your goal is to improve at chess.
If your goal is simply to maintain your current rating and enjoy chess as a hobby, that is completely fine. However, you should not expect magical results without serious effort.
A growth mindset helps players become more serious, value the money spent on coaching, and stay motivated to practise.
I attended a camp with GM Farrukh Amonatov in 2018. He suggested putting a poster of your goals in your room so that you see them every day. Eventually, those goals remain in your mind and motivate you to work towards them. This is something everyone can try.
Sometimes parents also protect players when they do not complete their chess practice. They speak on behalf of the student and provide excuses. This is not the right approach if the player genuinely wants to improve.
Studying Too Many Openings
This is getting out of control nowadays.
Players buy multiple opening courses, prepare many different openings, and then forget everything during an actual tournament.
Openings are not extremely important until a player reaches the 2000 rating level. In general, you should choose one main opening and select something easy and safe.
I am planning to write an article about opening selection, including a list of recommended openings for both White and Black. I may also make a video about it.
It is helpful to have a friend or coach who can guide you and discuss your opening choices with you. This can make it much easier to select openings that suit your strengths.
Misleading Parents
This is another important issue. Not every player does it, but some players take advantage of the fact that their parents do not understand chess.
Chess is very unique. People who have never played serious chess may not understand what a player is actually doing. A chess book can look like something completely unfamiliar to a non chess player.
Some players take advantage of this situation. Their parents see a chessboard or a chess book, but they cannot understand whether the player is doing useful work.
Unproductive chess practice can delay progress significantly. Players must be honest with themselves and their parents about the quality of their training.
These are some of the most common issues I have noticed during my six years of coaching. Fixing even a few of them can make the chess improvement journey more serious, productive, and effective.
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