r/chessbeginners

Hi everyone,

I’ve been playing competitive chess for years, maintaining a 2400+ online blitz rating and coaching players who are stuck in the trenches (sub-1600 FIDE/online).

The biggest mistake I see adult improvers and beginners make is "Engine Blindness." You lose a game, click "Report," see that you made 3 blunders, feel bad, and hit "New Game." This is a loop that keeps you stuck at 800, 1000, or 1200 for months.

If you seriously want to break your plateau by the end of this year, you need to change how you look at your games. Here is the exact 3-step framework I teach my students:

1. The "No-Engine" 5-Minute Rule Before turning on the computer after a loss, force yourself to look at the position where you blundered for exactly 2 minutes. Ask yourself: "What was my opponent trying to do?" 90% of tactical mistakes below 1600 happen not because you can't calculate, but because you completely ignored the opponent's threat on the previous move.

2. Separate Openings from Middle-games Stop memorizing 15 moves of theory in the Sicilian or Queen's Gambit. If you are below 1400, your goals in the opening are simple: control the center, develop pieces, and castle. If you lose a game on move 25, it wasn't because of your opening; it was because of middle-game planning. Focus on the CCT method (Checks, Captures, Threats) on every single move.

3. Tilt Management (The Psychological Barrier) Chess is 50% mindset. If you lose two games in a row and feel a burning desire to play a third one just to "get your points back"—close the app. You are playing on emotions, not logic. Your tactical vision drops by 30% when you are tilted.

Let’s fix your plateau today (Free Game Analysis):

Since generic advice only goes so far, I want to help some of you personally.

Thank you everyone for the overwhelming response! I have received way too many game links in my DMs and cannot take any more reviews right now. I need to focus on analyzing the ones already sent. Thanks for understanding!"

Hello! My name is Erik Haidinger, and I am an active competitive chess player from Croatia with a current FIDE rating of 1950and a 2060 FIDE Blitz rating. My chess.com and Lichess blitz rating varies between 2200-2300
I consider myself an ambitious player who is constantly improving. I continue to study chess on a daily basis and regularly train with International Masters, whose experience, training methods, and practical approach I strive to pass on to my own students.
I remain an active tournament player, competing in approximately 50–60 classical games every year. Throughout the years, I have represented my club in the Croatian Chess Leagues and the Croatian Cup Finals, gaining valuable experience against FIDE Masters, International Masters, and Grandmasters. I have also achieved victories against several FIDE Masters, experiences that have significantly contributed to my understanding of practical tournament chess.
Coaching Experience
I have worked as a coach at my home club, Šahovski klub Crikvenica, where I trained both beginner and advanced groups.
Some of the players I have coached include:
FIDE Master Ivano Sundać (current FIDE rating: 2290)

Candidate Master Ivano Tomljanović(current FIDE rating: 2136)

Vid Krešić (current FIDE rating: 2164)

In addition, I participated in the preparation of several club members for the 2019 European Youth Chess Championship in Bratislava.
In addition to club coaching, I have experience teaching chess in primary schools as part of an organized chess education program, introducing children to the game and helping them develop both their chess skills and critical thinking from an early age. This experience has taught me how to adapt my teaching methods to younger students and make lessons engaging, interactive, and enjoyable
Who I Teach
I work with:
Complete beginners

Improving juniors

Intermediate players

Club players looking to strengthen their tournament performance

Lessons are available in Croatian and English.
My Coaching Philosophy
I believe every player is unique, which is why I tailor every lesson to the student’s current level, goals, and learning style.
For beginners, I focus on building a strong foundation by teaching:
Fundamental chess principles

Tactical awareness

Positional understanding

Essential endgames

Development of a solid opening repertoire

For improving and advanced club players, lessons can include:
In-depth game analysis

Opening preparation and repertoire building

Typical pawn structures and strategic plans

Middlegame planning

Endgame technique

Practical tournament advice

Creative ideas to enrich and expand an existing repertoire

If desired, we can also play training games together, during which I provide live feedback, explain critical moments, and discuss improvements immediately after the game.
My goal is not only to help students increase their rating but also to improve their overall understanding of chess and become more confident, independent thinkers at the board.
Why Choose Me?
I approach every student in a friendly, patient, and supportive way. Creating a positive learning environment is very important to me because I believe students improve the most when they enjoy the learning process.
My greatest strengths are my dedication to chess, my passion for teaching, and my genuine motivation to help every student reach their full potential. I strive to inspire confidence, maintain motivation, and make every lesson both educational and enjoyable.
Lesson price: €10/hour
Lesson platforms: Zoom or Microsoft Teams
Contact:
Email: ehaidinger54@gmail.com

Chess.com Inbox
Username: Erik66

Whether you’re just learning the rules or aiming to take your tournament chess to the next level, I would be happy to help you on your chess journey.
I look forward to working with you and helping you achieve your chess goals!

I am new to chess and I don't know which opening to stick with , I want an opening that I can play easily at beginner levels and with some tweaks it even can be played at the top levels . I don't know if this is possible fr 😭. Pls anyone help me out and give me a good opening .

Bonjour,

Débutant, oscillant aux alentours des 450 chess.com, j'ai parfois rencontré des adversaires qui m'ont étouffé. Plus moyen de déplacer le moindre pion sans que cela engendre une cascade d'échanges et là... Peu importent les tutos sur la tactique et la stratégie, j'avoue que mon cerveau rend les armes.

J'ai tendance, à force d'agacement à échanger pièce à pièce, pion a pion mais...

Mon anticipation, mes calculs me sont toujours défavorables.

Ceci pour éclaircir l'échiquier et à chaque fois je suis tout nu!

Bref si quelqu'un pouvait me venir en aide, j'apprécierais beaucoup.

Bien à vous tous et merci par avance.