How to create a REALISTIC study plan?

Hi there.

So, I've been messing around with chess for years now, but never really improved. If I read parts of a book or some articles, I can fix some stuff in my game, but shortly after I keep making the same mistakes.

So I'd like to create a REALISTIC plan of study. I'm a 33y.o. dad, teacher and freelancer, and I can have about 30-60 minutes a day to really commit and study. I could get some 3 or 4 hours of study sessions for a few days, but I know and can keep up with that for most days. So, maybe less is more in this case.

I don't want to be the next WC, neither to compete in big tournaments. But I love the game, love to read about the game, but every time I've tried to study seriously, I got lost in the sea of so many things to learn.

What would be your suggestion in my case? I have something like a 900 rating. I'd love to be around the 1500s. I play mostly daily chess tournaments and some 10 minutes games.

Thanks in advance.

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

I'm not saying this is the best method, but this is my advice. It's a method I've used and I know other people have used.

Get a puzzle book. For example here's one I think is good :

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Tactics-ChessCafe-Chess/dp/1888690348

When you solve the puzzles, I want you to follow a specific process.

Try to solve the puzzle from the diagram. If you think you have solved it, then on a separate piece of paper write down your answer using chess notation. If you can't solve it in 5 minutes then give up, and look up the answer.

If the answer you wrote down is wrong (getting the first move right doesn't matter, you need the whole solution), or if your 5 minutes expired, then don't go to the next puzzle yet. First you need to understand why your solution doesn't work, and you need to convince yourself that the book's solution is correct. If it helps then set up a board so you can move the pieces. You can also use a chess engine. Don't skip this important step.

For every puzzle you don't solve, write the date beside the puzzle in pencil. After 3 days try to solve the puzzle again in the exact same way i.e. give yourself 5 minutes. If you fail it again, that's ok, review the solution again and try again 3 days later.

Keep doing this until you've solved every puzzle in the book correctly at least one time. Sometimes a puzzle will be very hard for you, and you might fail it multiple times. Eventually you may only get it right because you've memorized the solution. That's ok. This is part of the process.

If there are any puzzles that you like for any reason, maybe they're fun or instructive, it doesn't matter if you got them wrong or right, consider putting a star by them so you can try them again later too.

Books are organize and well plan, so my advice to you is get Play Winning Chess by Seirawan. There you will learn,with examples, the fundamentals that you should know. After you are finished with the book, get Winning Chess Tactics by Seirawan. This book will introduce you to different tactical motifs.

tkzkt.  I looked at your games, and this is what I found:  you play wild chess without finishing developing your pieces.  Just develop all your pieces, off the back rank.  Second, I see this alot in beginner chess.  If someone exchanges a piece, take back, or a pawn.  Material is important in chess.  Learn to stay even in material.  Finally, look at your losses and see why you lost.  Usually it is something simple they you can see after the game and note it.  30-60 min every day doing  that and you will improve.

#3 is good advice.

Yeah, loads of good advice here.

Most important thing is consistency, doing a bit each day, I think.

Be careful not to expose the answers ahead of time