Date: July 8th, 2026 9:09 PM Author: Ocher hospital
I've known how to play chess my whole life but have only ever played random games with other people who basically just know the rules, I'm thinking it would be fun to get a little better, but not much, I'm not reading some fucking 200 page book on real theory or any of that shit, is there a good lazy way to get a little better without too much nerding out?
I assume the most important thing I need to learn are some openings and I know youtube has lots of videos but you can spend an hour watching a video to extract like two tips, any recs?
Date: July 9th, 2026 8:52 PM Author: Ocher hospital
having done a few now I can see the benefit, but I really do wish they'd explain why certain moves are the best, most of the time I see it but occassionally I'm still just like wtf and they don't continue to let me see why it worked
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:31 PM Author: Ocher hospital
its an easy game to play online and waste some time with pretty good skill based matchmaking and I do enjoy it, I'm just not going to devote my fucking life to it
Date: July 8th, 2026 10:04 PM Author: Hairraiser base
Yeah some of us can't imagine not wanting to be the Tom Brady of something. Whatever you do be the best at it. No wants to see some old guy playing sports for example. It's unimpressive and low T to have a hobby you're not good at. I would never play chess but if I did I'd be ten times better than Magnus at it.
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:33 PM Author: vermilion ticket booth chad
tbh it's not a game where you get better with cheap little tricks. it's mostly reading 200 page books and playing for hours and hours and pure rigor. and ok yeah a rare guy is a genius and gets extra mileage out of it
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:35 PM Author: controlling a virtual character on a computer
if you have commute or other down time you can solve tactics puzzles on lichess or elsewhere
it's actually pretty fun in itself, even separate from being good practice to get better at the game of chess. like doing little brain teasers or something
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:36 PM Author: Ocher hospital
I just did one and it decided I needed to give up my queen in a situation where I truly don't understand why it would want me to do that, no followup moves just on to the next, seems useless
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:39 PM Author: controlling a virtual character on a computer
gotta start with really really easy ones and slowly move up from there
it's probably a good idea to start with learning some basic fundamentals about the game but you seem like you wouldn't have the patience for that and i don't really blame you. more fun to just do puzzles in your down time imo
Date: July 8th, 2026 9:40 PM Author: Ocher hospital
as I said in the OP I'm interested in learning some openings, I think once it gets mid game I'm smart enough to learn by experience how and when I've fucked myself, but I have no ability to plot out even a basic strategy
Date: July 9th, 2026 9:03 AM Author: vermilion ticket booth chad
this is genuinely good advice but again it doesn't really sound like OP is interested in the time and devotion needed, even with these tips - chess isn't a "one weird trick" game
Date: July 9th, 2026 9:40 AM Author: Duck-like passionate rehab
Yeah, this is basically what I would recommend, the easiest quick gain is to go on youtube and learn a few openings that you like, London on white, caro kann on black, is also exactly what I settled on,
fwiw my elo tends to fluxuate between 1200 and 1000 depending on how dialed in vs distracted I am, (I tend to play distracted quite a bit, playing while sports is on TV and what not, which is not a good recipe for actually playing well)
Date: July 9th, 2026 8:54 PM Author: Ocher hospital
I know how they move bro, read the OP, but I've just learned of the london and that does seem like exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for, just something to get started and not fuck myself randomly from the second move
Date: July 9th, 2026 10:05 AM Author: Fucking Fuckface
Threaten to murder your opponent if/when they put you in check. If they don't resign, brandish a firearm, rack it to show it's loaded, and hiss "check, motherucker!" at them
Date: July 9th, 2026 10:08 AM Author: purple famous landscape painting point
is there any good advice available? I also would not like to be stupid and cannot find info between legit retard rules and asamov conversations.
also am too old to watch youtube videos of people talking for endless hours wihtout knowing at what moment a point might be made. that shit reminds me of barbri courses
Date: July 9th, 2026 10:12 AM Author: Fucking Fuckface
If you don't want to watch videos, fucking READ, motherfucker
Good players memorize a fucking shitload of old games and various moves and gambits. If you're ok with just being a hobbyist, memorize a bunch of openings and mid games and end games
NOTE: I know the rules of, but do not play, chess, nor am I friends with anyone who plays chess
Date: July 9th, 2026 10:37 AM Author: bipolar disrespectful mood
learning basic tactics (pins, forks, skewers, etc.) and sound positional concepts goes a long way. As the saying goes, good tactics flow from good positions, but you need to learn the tactics because once you know them, you'll understand what positions to avoid and which ones to seek out in order to create favorable tactics.
Date: July 9th, 2026 10:57 AM Author: purple famous landscape painting point
thank you. i agree with this but seriously do not know where to find this level of strategy - just tactics. call is "chess for hobbyists" or something like that. There is just too much shit out there on chess and for some odd reason its rambling or overly detailed. odd case.
Date: July 9th, 2026 4:10 PM Author: bipolar disrespectful mood
The "Winning Chess" series of books by Yasser Seirawan are pretty accessible and easy to digest. Plus any lecture by Yasser Seirawan on YouTube is easy to listen to.
Date: July 9th, 2026 6:15 PM Author: Aphrodisiac property
go for moves that make you feel the most 'friction' or gives you the greatest discomfort/seems counterintuitive and kills as many birds as possible with a single stone or move, plans within plans, etc.