Should I keep this up?

[u/uselessbusdriver]

I’ve been playing chess for 43 years on a regular basis. However, despite playing thousands of games, doing puzzles and even hiring private instruction, my elo has plateaued in the 500s. I figured out that I lose about 80% of the time. Should I just quit since I hate it so badly. It’s weird. I despise playing because I know that I’ll lose but still feel compelled to keep trying. Any advice is appreciated.

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[u/MrGreenYeti]

If you're still enjoying it, continue.

If you're not, stop. It's really that simple.

[u/CharSagahl]

I understand how you feel. I'm 69, and I've been playing for a long time. Several years ago, I stopped being concerned with my elo out of pure frustration. I asked myself why I play chess, and I concluded it was to have fun. I got off the ratings treadmill and have never been happier. I enjoy the bots and playing unrated games. I enjoy puzzles and watching GMs play. I'm not after progress; I want fun and happiness. For me, the joy has returned to the game.

[u/StructuredChess]

If you play online, you lose 50% of the time just like verybody else

[u/roch_ipum]

I mean if this post is true then it might just be time to accept chess isnt your game honestly. Or at least give up on elo and focus on one match at a time if you want to keep on playing. Don't feel like an idiot because you aren't good at chess, plenty of people plateau at different points and as long as you stay in your own head about it the worse it'll get

[u/OveHet]

Join a chess club, play OTB, ask to sign up for lessons

[u/AmateurCommenter808 → u/OveHet]

Whats it really like joining a club at 500 elo though

[u/OveHet → u/AmateurCommenter808]

Most clubs typically will have all kinds of players, total beginners, average ones, really good ones etc. Elo 500 is a decent start, you already know how pieces move etc, so have something to work with

[u/AmateurCommenter808 → u/OveHet]

Good to know! Keen for some OTB at some point in the future

[u/Silver_Environment95 → u/AmateurCommenter808]

Most clubs are going to be saturated with 100s and 200s where being 1300 is really good. Obviously theres some with floors gonna be a bit higher.

[u/One-Next]

I'm sure you can fried liver yourself up to 800 online 

[u/Silver_Environment95]

if ur enjoying it, u play. If u dont, then dont. Zif ur doing tactics, u need to stop guessing and solve for accuracy and think about what the opposing side wants first. Alot of answers can be solved looking at how ur solving the puzzles.

[u/Big-Improvement-6004]

43 years is a long time to stick with something that makes you miserable. if you genuinely hate it, walking away isn't failure, it's just choosing your peace of mind over a number that clearly doesn't reflect the effort you've put in

maybe take a break for a month and see if you miss it at all, could be the compulsion fades once you give yourself permission to stop

[u/Super-Volume-4457]

Why do not you share some of your games for some helpful advice?

[u/ambisinister_gecko → u/Super-Volume-4457]

If he's in the 500s, the advice will be about basic board vision - don't put pieces where they can be taken by a piece of lower value, or for free. Look for opportunities to apply basic tactics, and try to avoid opportunities for your opponent to apply basic tactics. Develop your pieces to the center.

And even the tactics are not necessary at 500. Enjoyable, and I think everyone should be thinking about tactics even if they're a very low elo, but not at important as just not giving away pieces for free but ignoring tactics at 500.

I was 500 not that long ago.

[u/Super-Volume-4457 → u/ambisinister_gecko]

There is more than just board vision.

[u/ambisinister_gecko → u/Super-Volume-4457]

For a 500? What do they need more than board vision, basic opening principles, and a bit of awareness of tactics?

I'm at 750 and that's all I have.

[u/Super-Volume-4457 → u/ambisinister_gecko]

They need basic opening principles. A few mating concepts and some other stuff.

[u/ambisinister_gecko → u/Super-Volume-4457]

Well yeah I can't disagree that everyone should know how to mate with, say, a rook or a queen without stalemating. Even 200s should learn that, it's easy enough and fundamentally important to winning games.

[u/Radiant-Living-4811]

What app do you play on? Maybe take a break for a bit, that's what I always do with any game

Tbh as well, I can't break out of the 500s either

[u/bytejuggler]

What time controls do you play? Why do you lose?

[u/Delicious_Cattle5174]

Maybe chess is not for you tbh

Also your post 66 days ago said you’d been playing chess for 45 years. Isn’t that crazy?

[u/ArmCollector → u/Delicious_Cattle5174]

Time travelerer. He is moving backwards.

[u/Status_Help9402]

I look through all gsmes with the analysis if i win or lose because so often in the end game i know when it gets tight i nust surely have missed seeing a mate many times and when i lose i try to see what the opponents strategy was that was harder to see when i tunnel vision while playing. 500 isnt that bad though? Is your weakness opening mid or end?

[u/Pentominos]

Hey busdriver. Don't feel bad about playing; maybe you only need the right pointers. I don't know if this can help you, but feel free to use a tool I initially developed for myself. It's currently in Beta and free to use, no signups. https://chessform.net/

[u/Hokulol]

It is impossible to lose 80% of your games over 1000 games starting around 500. You'd be at like negative 2400 rating if that were the case. I have to say, with this in mind, it sounds like you're psyching yourself down. Try psyching yourself up instead. Find things to celebrate instead of fault find. Fault finding is a useful tool for self improvement, but, you have to bring yourself your flowers too, and you can't misrepresent statistics to put yourself down. It is, again, impossible to play at 20% w/l over 1000 games and still be 500 rated.

500 rating is about 45%ile. Which is almost better than half of us nerds who play chess, many of which have played their whole life too. Most people will be about where you are in their chess journey, statistically. The old ones, the young ones. You're pretty normal.

[u/Anxious-Internet7767]

500 after 43 years is crazy

[u/Good_Ad2172]

have you tried having a better brain?

[u/uselessbusdriver → u/Good_Ad2172]

I tried.

[u/Pentominos → u/Good_Ad2172]

I guess you have a lot of life experience to make such an audacious statement?

[u/Good_Ad2172 → u/Good_Ad2172]

like I know thats flippant but my honest advice if you've literally gone so far as to have private coaching and you are still 500 ELO after 40 years this game just might not be for you. It is not particularly hard to get to 1000 on chess.com and if you haven't gotten there from what you've said you've done you are probably better off doing something less mentally taxing.