Best Way to Become Competent at Chess For A Complete Newbie?

Hi all.

I just started playing chess a week ago. I am hooked! I love the deep strategy involved in this game, and I'm really wanting to get "good". So far, I have played a few live blitz games but have primarily played against the computer.

I'm curious what all the higher rated players recommend as to the best way to become competent at chess. Should I buy some books? Keep playing against the computer? Work puzzles?

Also, how did you get good at chess?

Thanks,

Matt

That's great Matt!  Welcome to the game.  As you might imagine, this question has been asked many  times before in the forums.  I did a little forum search for you, but you might get slightly different responses with different search terms.  Many pages of threads and at least a few on each page worth reading...

https://www.chess.com/forum/search?keyword=How+do+I+get+better

Good luck!  Oh, a diamond membership might be worth it for you so you can find everything in one place.  I think it's a fantastic use of $100, but you can certainly find plenty of free resources as well.  Oh, and let me be the first to recommend: Tactics, Tactics, Tactics! 

I never got good because I didn't start getting serious until my sixties, but it's still a great game even at a mediocre level.  Enjoy yourself!

"... for those that want to be as good as they can be, they'll have to work hard.
Play opponents who are better than you … . Learn basic endgames. Create a simple opening repertoire (understanding the moves are far more important than memorizing them). Study tactics. And pick up tons of patterns. That’s the drumbeat of success. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (December 27, 2018)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/little-things-that-help-your-game
https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-start-out-in-chess
https://www.chess.com/news/view/a-new-years-resolution-improve-your-chess-with-new-lessons
"... In order to maximize the benefits of [theory and practice], these two should be approached in a balanced manner. ... Play as many slow games (60 5 or preferably slower) as possible, ... The other side of improvement is theory. ... This can be reading books, taking lessons, watching videos, doing problems on software, etc. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627084053/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman19.pdf
"... If it’s instruction, you look for an author that addresses players at your level (buying something that’s too advanced won’t help you at all). This means that a classic book that is revered by many people might not be useful for you. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2015)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-best-chess-books-ever
Here are some reading possibilities that I often mention:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486273024.html
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5856bd64ff7c50433c3803db/t/5895fc0ca5790af7895297e4/1486224396755/btbtactics2excerpt.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf

Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Studying Chess Made Easy by Andrew Soltis (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090448/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review750.pdf
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092617/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review560.pdf

Hi Matt. At your level, checkmating is all that matters. Study 1001 Deadly Checkmates by John Nunn. 

What exactly are your goals?  Without knowing what your goals are its going to be difficult to offer the correct advice.

Openings: Learn the principles, what each side is trying to do. For example: https://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/ten-rules-opening

Tactics https://www.chesstactics.org/ I found excellent. Really helps you understand the tactics in clear language. And practice.

Strategy: Mainly I would focus on making your pieces better. Rooks on open files, bishops on good diagonals, knights on advanced squares where they cant be attacked by pawns. Exchange your bad pieces for your opponents good pieces, but otherwise don't spend moves exchanging for no benefit.

Another thing but a bit more advanced is pawn structures, which can help tell you where to put pieces, attack, etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawn_structure

Endgames: You should definitely know pawn endgames: opposition etc. Secondly the basic mates e.g. king and queen, king and rook etc. Thirdly and very important, rook endgames.

During play you want to really think about what your opponents moves are trying to achieve and their possibles responses to your moves.

Also, you want to review your games, and see where you made mistakes.

Hi Matt. In my opinion the best way to get good fast, is to study the game. The opening phase, middle game principles, and endgame finishes. The more serious a player you want to be, the more time and effort goes into studying your games and go over masters games.  And always remember, it's more about understanding themes and principles behind moves over just memorizing moves verbatim.

Then just play plenty of games to practice/apply what you have been learning. Put thought into your moves and don't always rush to play the most obvious moves. We don't have enough positions and principles memorized to take those sorts of chances often.

A certain amount of study has to be combined with actual play. You won't learn at any speed unless you try out the ideas in actual games.

I had to lose thousands of games before I became a decent player.

Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

Also play mostly longer time controls, including "daily" chess, so you have time to think about what you should be doing - blitz and bullet chess may be fun, but at this stage of your development they will do little to promote your rapid improvement or your understanding of how to play correctly.....
https://www.chess.com/article/view/longer-time-controls-are-more-instructive

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-blitz-and-bullet-rotted-my-brain-don-t-let-it-rot-yours

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf

Start by learning how to play a game without hanging pieces. Look at the last game you played, where you hung 3 pieces in 3 moves!

Your rating will skyrocket once you stop making these silly 1 move blunders.