Beginner Mistakes

Ten real instructive games where typical beginner mistakes get punished — the fastest way to learn to punish them yourself.

Levy breaks down the seven mistakes he sees in every beginner game review — from move-order autopilot to premature attacks.

GM Smirnov walks through the ten traps that catch beginners over and over — learn them once, stop donating games.

The five habits that cap beginners' ratings — and the concrete fix for each one.

Exactly what wins games at 400: stop hanging pieces, take free material, and follow a simple opening recipe. No fluff, just the moves that matter at this level.