Help to understand

For someone who is just starting out understanding the strategies and openings of chess, what would be the best method to acquire help from experienced players. I'm going through the chess mentor, but that is scripted, and what happens when I use an opening and defense and strategy in live play, but a player doesn't follow the text I've studied verbatim?

In essence, I'm seeking someone to take me under their wings and help me understand what I'm studying. I'm just looking for a teacher that's willing to teach a student.

Thanks in advance

Well, step one would be to find out what your rating is. We can hardly base decisions on one win against a 1250 and two losses against a 2300! How can anyone tutor you when we don't know how good you are to begin with? 

jtwood, get your head out of the book. Learn chess principles instead:

1. Play moves that attack / occupy the center (i.e., d4, d5, e4, e5)
2. Piece activity. Put minor pieces where they control as many squares as possible.
3. Tempo. Always look for opportunities to develop your minor pieces "with time", meaning, you force your opponent to move a piece a second (or third) time when he would prefer to move a different piece. For example, attacks on the queen by pieces that are less valuable (knights, bishops, etc). Tempo is a very subtle positional factor in chess games and it builds incrementally.
   
4. Look to play moves with a dual-purpose. The more things you can accomplish in one move, the better.
5. Don't hang pieces.
6. Safe king.

Do any of those six things in your games and you'll be okay, regardless of opening systems.

Understandable... Here are my ratings... I will note that a lot of my losses are because i lose connection.

Does this complete step one?

Blitz

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