Congrats!
It is difficult to offer advice for improvement because I cannot tell what is just a consequence of improving, and what changes improved my game. (also keep in mind I am still a total patzer) Anyway from 1500 to ca. 1700:
When I broke 1500, I was thinking a lot about "learning openings" (i.e. an opening tree) because my opening play sucked very badly. I have not found it very helpful to study openings from the ground up by watching videos (like "Jans opening clinic"), but instead I have a few things I like with white or black and then when I see commentated games in those lines I try to focus on when they deviate from what I do and what things the commentators point out. When you loose right out of the opening spend some time debugging a particular bad opening play.
Eventually you get "ideas" (i.e. you know what is "good" or "bad" in an opening, like getting a particular file etc.), and I think that has helped my opening play a lot compared to when I was 1500.
People will tell you that openings are not important below 2000; that seemed totally nuts when I was loosing right out the opening, however I think that it is more true after you develop an "idea repetoire".
Play longer games even if you are trying to improve in blitz.
Focus on development rather than attacking, especially the kind of attacks where you don't have a particular plan but are just moving pieces around hoping something will happen. Trying to attack is natural, improving a passive piece is not.
Generally slow down in longer games; spend a few seconds asking yourself if your opponent has a mate in one or if your next move will hang the piece. This is very hard and I still hang pieces, even in longer games.
Perhaps someone higher rated can comment on this, but I don't think it is a good idea to play dodgy openings (like Morra gambit), traps, etc. Play normal stuff that leads to normal positions. I both think it is more enjoyable, but also that it makes it easier to debug your errors and get new ideas.
Please keep in mind this is advice from someone who is only 1700 ;-).
It is difficult to offer advice for improvement because I cannot tell what is just a consequence of improving, and what changes improved my game. (also keep in mind I am still a total patzer) Anyway from 1500 to ca. 1700:
When I broke 1500, I was thinking a lot about "learning openings" (i.e. an opening tree) because my opening play sucked very badly. I have not found it very helpful to study openings from the ground up by watching videos (like "Jans opening clinic"), but instead I have a few things I like with white or black and then when I see commentated games in those lines I try to focus on when they deviate from what I do and what things the commentators point out. When you loose right out of the opening spend some time debugging a particular bad opening play.
Eventually you get "ideas" (i.e. you know what is "good" or "bad" in an opening, like getting a particular file etc.), and I think that has helped my opening play a lot compared to when I was 1500.
People will tell you that openings are not important below 2000; that seemed totally nuts when I was loosing right out the opening, however I think that it is more true after you develop an "idea repetoire".
Play longer games even if you are trying to improve in blitz.
Focus on development rather than attacking, especially the kind of attacks where you don't have a particular plan but are just moving pieces around hoping something will happen. Trying to attack is natural, improving a passive piece is not.
Generally slow down in longer games; spend a few seconds asking yourself if your opponent has a mate in one or if your next move will hang the piece. This is very hard and I still hang pieces, even in longer games.
Perhaps someone higher rated can comment on this, but I don't think it is a good idea to play dodgy openings (like Morra gambit), traps, etc. Play normal stuff that leads to normal positions. I both think it is more enjoyable, but also that it makes it easier to debug your errors and get new ideas.
Please keep in mind this is advice from someone who is only 1700 ;-).
