The Reason People Don't Get Better At Chess According to Ben Finegold

#benfinegold #chess #ChessAdvice

[BestFriends-fbex]

What I heard Ben tell me is that I'm great and I'm just unlucky

[georgepantzikis]

I think it's even simpler than Ben is saying. I was stuck on 1200 for months on end after relatively fast growth, and I couldn't figure out how to improve. I watched videos on openings and did endless tactics every day but they never seemed to come up in games. Then I realised that when I played, I never actually thought about my moves or spent any time calculating. I simply played moves based on intuition and did a quick check to see if I lose a piece on the next move. Almost all of my wins came either from opponents blundering or by accidentally getting a winning endgame. I only had to start thinking two or three moves ahead on each move and not only did my game improve, but tactics started to become increasingly obvious. Five months later and my rating is 1650.

[mxyzptlk]

Ben really just described how people don't get better in general. Not just some competition or sport.

[TW-fsfj]

If I don't blunder then my opponent will be forced to. I would hate for my opponent to have a bad game. After all, chess is for gentlemen.

[carlsmith]

I love how Ben doesn’t give a single shit about offending chess players. Brutal honesty

[googooboyy]

I've been at 1200 level for the longest time, and finally after listening, I am now around 1100 levels. Definitely changed me!

[MHZHellGuitar]

When grishuk was asked how to be good at chess he simply said "don't blunder"

[edwardbottle]

I was "coaching" a guy who's like 1000 on lichess. He played about 10 games of 5+0 every single day for months and months and never got any better. He asked me why he wasn't getting any better and I told him exactly what Ben says. You blunder 5 times every game and it's just a coin flip if you or your 1000 rated opponent makes the blunder that gives checkmate. I told him he'd have better results if he only played 1 or 2 games a day and spent the time he took playing 8 more games to analyze the games he did play and understand what his blunders were and not to repeat those mistakes (and punish his opponents blunders).

Instead of listening to me he insisted that I show him how to "crush the QGA with 3.e4" and kept doing the exact same pattern of just playing 5 minute game after 5 minute game. I shook my head and rolled my eyes and that's the story of how I fully came to understand why Ben quit coaching chess.

[averagejoe]

In short: Don’t make excuses and analyze why you messed up so you don’t mess up in the future. Edit: Also, the truth hurts.

[kdub]

I really like Ben's beginner lectures, with stuff like "Okay kids, in the opening don't move too many pawns, but instead develop your pieces." Then the kids continue to make all pawn moves, and Ben askes them why they're not developing their pieces like he told them to, to which they answer either "Yeah, yeah, I'll do that later." or "Yeah, yeah, but this is what _I_ do." The truth hurts.

[acsmith]

I went up 200 rating points just from recognizing the fact that myself and all my opponents are considered beginner level by the pros. It means there are tons of mistakes being made, and you just have to find them, and you have to stop making them - which requires you to analyze your games after.
This video only reminds me of that further. He put 500 to 1500 in the same group. That had better teach you something, and not insult you if you're in this rating range.

[ienjoyapples]

It really comes down to not considering your opponent's moves. That's why we often see a mistake instantly after playing it. We play the move, THEN we start thinking of our opponent's move and see the mistake. You have to force yourself to consider your opponent's response to every move until it becomes automatic. I would suggest playing longer time controls until it becomes engrained.

[wwcj]

Ben with the cold hard facts. Hitting this below 1500 in the gut.
Time to go blunder a few 5-3 games.

[Shungarui]

A great way to improve is to play moderate amount of chess. Play chess only when you are relaxed and focused. Make sure are feeling great, slept well and eaten enough food. Play only like 2-5 games a day. This way you are much less likely to make mistakes.

[DablesG]

As a good pool player. He's right about the pool thing. Opponent doesn't even have to hit the ball and I know what I'm up against

[slowburntm]

So I am NOT supposed to blunder??? But that is my highest number on game reports!

[matthewkirkhart]

"You're not thinking about your opponent's moves, you're thinking about your own." This is an exceptionally valuable point, thanks Ben. I know if I started doing this more I would definitely get better.

[elevenears]

"It's hard not to be insane, 'cause that's the way you were brought up".

[ubermensch]

People just don't calculate much. If you try to calculate at least two moves ahead on every move you make, saying the co-ordinates aloud in your head, and constantly thinking, "if I go there what can my opponent do to me?", then you'll avoid many blunders. Of course this requires patience and a good tactical awareness so you need to practice puzzles too and stop playing Blitz chess.

[ShanobiBanobi]

Ben Finegold on being Insane: “It’s hard not to be insane, because that’s the way you were brought up. “

That’s insight