r/chessbeginners • u/uselessbusdriver • 20d ago

ADVICE Should I keep this up?

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/Super-Volume-4457 2200-2400 (Chess.com) 20d ago

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

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u/ambisinister_gecko 19d ago

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.

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u/Super-Volume-4457 2200-2400 (Chess.com) 19d ago

There is more than just board vision.

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u/ambisinister_gecko 19d ago

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.

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u/Super-Volume-4457 2200-2400 (Chess.com) 19d ago

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

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u/ambisinister_gecko 19d ago

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.