Help! Why Am I So Bad At Chess?

You’ll rarely see two skilled chess players with similar styles or using the same strategies. Being a large universe of moves, forethinking, reacting, analyzing, attacking, and defending, chess is a hard game to fully master.

Every single player, no matter how talented, has faced a moment in which he or she was challenged by a player so skilled that they had to change their learning pattern in order to win.

Surely, there are some key pieces of advice, such as studying hard, focusing on your difficulties, not giving up, etc. However, these may become too broad for some players who are constantly asking themselves: Why am I so bad at chess?

Why Am I So Bad At Chess?

There is no correct answer to this question, but there are quite a few suggestions these players could follow to become better and reach the rating they, or the world of chess, consider good enough not to be called a bad player.

Not Taking It Seriously

The first step most players, masters, teachers, and scholars would agree on is to take the game as seriously as it demands to be taken. Many players think reaching a good level in chess is an easier task than it actually is and decide to quit even before they have a chance to get there.

That is because they face the hard truth that they should put more effort into the game than they thought at first.

Lack of Analytical Skill

The second biggest reason players reach a certain level and feel stuck is that they don’t analyze the game from as many perspectives as a skilled player does. Of course, the level of performance players have to reach to be able to fully analyze matches is quite high.

However, just like any other skill, it comes in steps. Initially, players are normally thinking about how to defend their pieces from threats and how to carefully turn defending stances into attacking combinations.

With the right amount of time and effort, players quickly become able to see different ways through which the game can progress, and that’s usually when they first start designing their playing styles.

The more they study, practice, and keep track of opponents’ moves, the largest their play library becomes. However, there is a necessary balance between studying and practicing that must be observed in order not to burn their brains too early and lose their developing thread.

Lack of Visualization

Visualization is another essential skill for players who wish to succeed in chess. Visualization is the ability to see the chess board and the position of pieces in your mind and, through that, become able to foresee the outcome of potential moves.

Great players are able to think even more than 20-25 moves ahead by visualizing the combination. However, mid-level players should be glad to visualize 10-15 moves ahead.

Not Learning From Your Mistakes

In fourth place, and maybe the skill players take the longest to fully develop, is learning from their own mistakes. Most of the time, players focus on their opponents’ moves in an attempt to guess their strategies and playing styles.

Surely, that should bring you to a safe spot where you can even accurately guess your opponent’s moves and beat him or her. However, your own mistakes may also give away too much and help your opponent beat you.

So, whenever you find yourself facing a more skilled or experienced player, ask for some feedback, as your apparently flawless strategy may hold weak spots you failed to see as you’re never really looking from the outside.

Additionally, should you play against someone that uses a similar strategy as yours, or has the same playing style, keep an eye out for the mistakes this player makes, as you may be failing to see that you’re making the same ones.

Our Verdict

In the end, perseverance, patience, and tons of study should lead you to a decent rating and winning much more than losing.

Lastly, don’t think winning all the time will teach you more than losing every now and then, as with each defeat, you are forced to take a second look at your strategy. So, value not only the wins but also the opportunity to learn from your defeats.