It is never talent vs hard work, hard work is a talent
Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do, strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do
Don’t try play a strategy that goes against your natural instincts. Chess is about decision making, it should be intuitive. Going against intuition is not a long-term optimal approach
You should try make your opponent uncomfortable, while staying within your comfort zone. You should play what you are comfortable with because it unlocks your creative potential.
Offer your opponent your chance to make a mistake, don’t force the issue
Learn how to identify the pivotal moments in the games
The optimal move is not always the one to make, sometimes you should try to make your opponent uncomfortable
If you want to improve, practice with real pieces, not at the computer
If your opponents pieces are diagonal to each other on contiguous squares, there is always the opportunity for a fork
If you panic you lose the game, look for the best move
The difficulty in chess lies in making good decisions with a lot of information in your mind simultaneously
Good chess moves are governed by geometry
Discovered attacks with knights often cause the most havoc
When there is a double check the king has to move, very dangerous