Correcting your mistakes and improving on your inaccuracies by analyzing your own games is the best was to get better at chess (or at doing anything else in life).
I have a method of analyzing my own games (both losses and wins!) and developing a sense of what I did wrong and what I can improve on. To do that I use my own head and think about each move critically, after that I look at grandmaster games, and lastly I use the engine to check my ideas. In the end, I will have three different “opinions” about each move and I will put them together into what should be a significant improvement on my play. This process is divided into five steps, and usually takes about five hours to complete.
1) Think for yourself first
This step is crucial. If you start your analysis using the engine, you will miss out on the most important part of chess improvement – using your own head! Too often people just turn on Fritz and see where they went wrong, get mad about it and forget it five minutes later. Try to come up with the better move that what you played in the game. This gives you a new chance to play better and it will also improve your understanding of the opening and chess in general. Write down your ideas in detail while you do that.
2) Look at what the grandmasters play
This step is your first correction. Use games from high rated players to see what they did in the exact same positions. Write down the ideas you find in these games next to your own thoughts about each move.
3) Use the engine
Final check. Correct yourself and the grandmasters. Find the best move and interpret it. Find out why it’s the best move. Once again, write down your ideas while analyzing. Do it in a third column, next to your own ideas and GM moves.
4) Write your corrections down
A very important part of correcting your mistakes in chess. Combine the three columns you wrote down while analyzing into an essay. Put your thoughts on paper. This will give you a great tool and help solidify your memory and increase your understanding greatly!
5) Play practice games with your new ideas
Finally, test out your new ideas! It’s always smart to use your new weapon while sparring before going into battle! After you have finished your practice games, repeat the whole process. After 5-10 games, you should never make the same mistakes you made in the original game again!
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