I am interested to hear from players about the areas in their game that they could improve on. Novice players like me probably think they could improve on all areas of the game. Do highly ranked players who appear (at least to me) to have a floorless game from start to finish feel there are components of the game they could improve???

My intent isn’t for people to advertise their weaknesses but rather see if there are common areas of the game which players think they could do better at.  

PK

For me it would be moving too fast and or miscalculating. Also overestimating my ability and or underestimating my opponents.

For me it would be merely to win more often.   If I had a record like you Redketchuplover, I would be over the moon.

For me it would be merely to win more often.   If I had a record like yours Redketchuplover, I would be over the moon.

I am getting very despondent over the amount of games I am losing.   I don't want to give up, so are there any of the better players willing to play me and advise me after the game on what my main faults are.   They say that you are never to old to learn and that is what I want to do.   Help!

In one of our games, I chose the sharp reply to your e4 with c5 and your next moves were inaccurate especially 4.Qd3 to my 3.Nc6, And then after Nf3-Nf6 you just advanced your e pawn to e5 to be gobbled up without compensation, so if you ask me, you'll need to improve on your undertanding of opening principles. Hope the suggestion helps.

Thanks for the advice,   I have to confess that when I was shown  the moves at school many many years ago, that is all I was shown, and I know nothing of opening principles or tactics.   Where can I learn of such things?   To be honest this recent interest in playing after all these years was brought about because some of my grandchildren asked me to show them the moves.

Thanks for the advice,   I have to confess that when I was shown  the moves at school many many years ago, that is all I was shown, and I know nothing of opening principles or tactics.   Where can I learn of such things?   To be honest this recent interest in playing after all these years was brought about because some of my grandchildren asked me to show them the moves.   Now I would like to learn the finer points of the game before the kids start beating me :-)

Drip - i too have found the opening moves to be the source of my downfall on numerous occasions. Because the opening moves have been analysed over the centuries this part of the game can be "learned" so if you don't know the recommended responses to certain openings you are at an immediate disadvantage.
As a starting point I would recommend just googling Chess Openings and try and find a site or page that gives a broad overview of the most common openings - that should start you on the right track - refer to it during your games and try and get a feel for the reasoning behind the moves. Also try and stick to one opening that you like when you are white so you get used to playing against the common responses.
Best of luck in your games.

Thank you "divil" for "bothering" to answer from the high tower of your rating.   I am obliged.  I shall do as you suggest and try to find such a site, meanwhile plodding on trying to learn from my mistakes.   (even if I have left it rather late in life)

I would differ from the advice of others, not that you will not improve by studying opening, but I believe you'll better understand the game and its strategy by learning the backwards way the Dr. Tarrach taught.  You can probably find a copy of his classic book "The Game of Chess", which teaches the game from scratch his way, endgame first, then middlegame, and then opening basics.

This method is slower, but more logical.  It is difficult to plan how to get somewhere, when you don't know where that somewhere is.  I have watched countless scholastic games played to draws, with one side holding a Rook advantage, sometimes even a Queen.  Nobody bothered to teach the kid how to mate, with the various minimum amounts of material, and what material advantages can't force a mate.  After that pawn endings, and Rook and pawn endings must be understood.

That's the foundation!  Then tactics, which apply equally to the middle game and opening are a must to learn.

I'm going to suggest a set of books that aren't highly regarded, but which are very useful, both for learning a lot of basic opening variations, but a lot about tactics.  The pair are Zaps and Traps 1 & 2, by Bruce Pandolfini.  These aren't classic chess books by any stretch of the imagination, but they will familiarize you with opening principles, without a lot of memorizing of lines, and Bruce clearly explains what tactic or tactics is employed in each example.

You will learn of pins, multiple attacks, deflections, forks, and he illustrates how the same themes come up in many different opening systems.

Don't expect to win a lot of games with these traps, although you will win a few.  The reason for studying them is to learn the underlying tactics, as well as the principle that a single thoughtless move can end the game fast.

Good luck, and use teaching the grandchildren as a way of teaching yourself.

To get a huge jump to improve, get a tactics skill of about 1600 USCF. This may be tough, but with a lot of practice you'll make it. On chess.com, this is about 1800 tactics rate.  Then train yourself to take your time and consistently check every move you play for tactical refutations. Seriously, a positional stkill of about 900 USCF is good enough for then. And after that, considering you have a basic positional skill, and basic opening knowledge, I assure you to make 1300 USCF in tournament play at least, very likely higher, and you would probably make it 1600 or higher on this site, and on ICC 1450 or higher. With better opening skill, and more positional skills, to intermediate level, you could make it to about 1500USCF and a very strong player on this site. I would say around 1900 or higher.