Chess

How to avoid Blunders in Chess?

Playing chess is really fun and interesting, but one common issue with amature players is creating blunders in chess games. So how to avoid chess blunders?

The best way to avoid chess blunders is by concentrating on the game and by looking out for the traps. Use your time properly to make the best move.

How to avoid Blunders in Chess

Blunders can happen from beginners to Grandmasters. Mostly beginners/ amateur players tend to make blunders the most.

Let’s understand the tips to avoid blunders in chess in the rest of the article.

Tips to avoid blunders in chess

Here are the ways to avoid blunders in chess:

  • Concentrate on the game
  • Avoid traps
  • Focus on the opening
  • Play regularly
  • Learn different end-game concepts
  • Learn from your mistakes

Concentrate on the game

When playing chess it is very much important to concentrate on the game, otherwise, you may end up in creating mistakes or blunders. Make sure you are not distracted by yourself or by others while playing chess.

Lack of concentration makes the players play their games faster without much calculation. You may lose your pieces or your chess positions due to this act.

You can increase your concentration while playing chess by these methods:

  1. Drink water: Dehydration is one main reason that creates fatigue and reduces the concentration level. Have a cup of water next to you with help you in keep up your mind well.
  2. Take breaks: In longer format games, take some breaks when you feel overwhelmed. Can you take a quick walk to keep you on track.
  3. Visualize the game: Before making any moves make sure you calculate them in your mind.
  4. Avoid electronic devices: When playing friendly matches, it is good to avoid electronic devices( mobiles, tablets etc.). These can create a distraction, which results in reduced concentration. In FIDE tournaments players are not allowed to have communicative electronic devices with them.
  5. Keep yourself healthy: Lack of stamina can affect your concentration. Make sure you have enough food before the game. You can have some healthy snacks or chocolates with you during the game.

Avoid Traps

Traps are a common tactic used to lure your opponent into making a mistake. One of the best ways to avoid blunders in chess is to be aware of common traps.

At the beginner level, it is seen that most players jump into tactical mistakes. The two most common traps that beginners tend to make are:

Professional chess players tend to make positional mistakes in their games. These traps are bit hard to find and require deep calculation.

Usually, in blitz and bullets, players try to create most of the traps. In a lower time format it will be difficult to have deeper calculations due to the time limits.

Practising puzzles and focusing more on the calculation training helps you to find out the traps easily. It is advised to play 20-30 puzzles a day.

Focus on the opening

The opening is a crucial part of the game, and it’s essential to focus on it. By playing solid opening moves, you can avoid making early blunders that could cost you the game.

It’s also important to be familiar with the opening and know how to respond to your opponent’s moves. Learn some of the most commonly played openings. Also make sure that you follows the opening principles in chess.

Italian game is the most commonly played opening in the beginner’s level. Make sure you learn the different variations in this opening, so as to avoid opening mistakes and traps. If players make mistakes in the opening it will be difficult to make a comeback in the game.

Check the Top 10 best Chess Openings for White

Play regularly

Playing chess regularly is very much important as a chess player. The more you play, the more familiar you become with different positions and strategies. Playing regularly can also help you to identify patterns in your play and identify areas where you need to improve. Regular play can help you to become a better player and reduce the risk of making blunders.

You can play online chess games from different platforms like lichess or chess.com. Here you have the option to play bullet, blitz, rapid or classical games. Opt for playing partners if you are serious about the games. Playing partners helps you to analyse the games and correct your common mistakes.

Learn different end-game concepts

The endgame is the final stage of the game, and it’s important to be familiar with different end-game concepts. By understanding the endgame, you can make better decisions and avoid blunders.

Most players. even grandmasters make blunders during endgames. Endgames are a prestigious part of the chess game. In top-level games, you may notice that most of the games move to the endgame. The one who outplays the opponent wins the game.

Some essential end-game concepts include :

  • King and pawn endgames
  • Rook endgames
  • Elementary mates
  • King and Two Bishops vs King

By learning these concepts, you can improve your end-game skills and reduce the risk of making costly mistakes.

Learn from your mistakes

Finally, it’s essential to learn from your mistakes. Even the best players make mistakes, but the key is to learn from them and improve your game. After each game, analyze your play and identify areas where you could have made better decisions.

Whenever you have played a game, make sure you analyze the game really well. This helps you to understand your mistakes, which helped you to improve in your future games.

Is it normal to blunder in chess?

It is normal to blunder in a chess game. Usually, beginners and amateur players tend to make blunders more, whereas in professional chess games blunders are seen rarely.

Carelessness is the main reason that results in blunders. In beginner’s chess, it is commonly seen that players tend to lose their pieces in the early stage of games. Players with 2000+ ratings tend to make less blunders whereas players with less than 1200 make more blunders.

Can you win even after making a blunder in chess?

Players can win a chess game even after making a blunder unless the blunder results in a checkmate or the player is left with a mating piece or pawn.

Even if you lose a piece you have the chance to win the game. It is always advised to play till the game ends rather than resign from the game. Players have the option to improve their position, create attacks and make counter traps in the chess game.

About Harikrishnan A

I am an International Fide Rated player with 10+ years of experience. Played many International Chess Tournaments and Commonwealth games.
View all posts by Harikrishnan A →

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