Improvement · 2 min read
12 common chess mistakes and the fix for each
Ratings rise faster from removing errors than from adding knowledge. Pick one mistake and check your last five games for it.
Opening mistakes
- Moving the same piece twice. Fix: count your developed pieces first.
- Bringing the queen out early. Fix: move her only where she cannot be chased with gain of time.
- Delaying castling. Fix: castle within ten moves unless the centre is locked.
- Grabbing pawns while behind in development. Fix: three moves are worth more than a pawn.
Middlegame mistakes
- No blunder check. Fix: ask what the reply attacks.
- Attacking with too few pieces. Fix: count attackers against defenders first.
- Leaving pieces undefended. Fix: list your loose pieces after each calculation.
- Recapturing automatically. Fix: look for a check or a bigger threat first.
- Trading into a worse endgame. Fix: ask who gains from fewer pieces.
Endgame and clock mistakes
- A passive king. Fix: bring it toward the action at once.
- Pushing passed pawns alone. Fix: escort them with the king; put rooks behind them.
- Rushing the hard moves. Fix: save the clock for positions full of checks, captures and threats.
Key takeaways
- Fix one mistake at a time and check for it across five games.
- The blunder check is the habit to build first.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most common chess mistake?
- Playing a move without checking what the opponent's reply attacks. That missing blunder check lets simple tactics through.
- How do I stop making the same chess mistake?
- Name it in one sentence after each game, then reread your list before you next play. Seeing the same diagnosis repeatedly is what changes the habit.
Practise the related tactics
The ideas behind this
- Prophylactic ThinkingBefore every move, ask what your opponent wants to do.
- The 8th RankA king behind unmoved pawns can be mated on its back rank.
- Not Moving the Same Piece TwiceEach opening move should bring a new piece into play.