Tips for improving your chess game!

Tips For Improving Your Chess Game

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Hi! While I may not be a GM, or even anywhere close to that, I have been training in several different sports and activities, and I have some tips that could hopefully help you improve your rating, as well as help you in life!

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1.) Set Goals
Setting goals can be very helpful to your play! Maybe your goal is to play five games a day, or solve ten puzzles a day. Practice setting long term goals (ex. reach 1800 by the end of the year) and create short term goals to help you reach those long term goals.
If you need help reaching your goals, or are falling behind, try something like setting a reminder on your phone, or placing a sticky note on your mirror. This can be used for more than just chess, it can help you follow a diet, or even exercise.

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2.) Practice daily
With any sport, constant practice is necassary. Whether you're a casual player, or someone who's trying to get a title, practice makes perfect.
-The Brain Is A Muscle Too
While you may not be benching, or doing squats, the brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised as well. For example, try doing puzzles that challenge you, and help you with tactical awareness.

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3.) Don't Overwhelm Yourself!
This is a pretty short one, and basic as well! Like with any type of exercise, don't overwhelm yourself! Know your limits! Make sure to manage stress!

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4.) Practice OTB
This is something that I learned in a class that I took from Kasparov himself!

Practicing your skills and vision in over the board games is very crucial! For those of you who follow sports, you could compare it to a quarterback analyzing the field, or a point guard upping his court vision. Being able to see blunders and weaknesses over the board is important, as well as being able to keep a poker face.

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5.) Play Variants!
While some variants may seem confusing, or impractical, they can actually help you with your tactical awareness, and your ability to escape from unique situations! I recommend trying variants regularaly. It will also spice up chess if you become bored with standard games.

~Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this article, like and follow! Have a blessed day, cheers!

Thanks to @Savage_Water for letting me use their amazing art!