Not blundering away leads

Hello, Lichess community. Though I've know how the pieces move for years, I really only started playing with any strategy or objective around three months ago. When I first started, I couldn't play real players, as I was so error-prone, had poor knowledge of typical beginner traps and couldn't make myself think about moves before making them. I've come a long way since then, learning some opening principles and basic strategy along the way.

After a few months of chess puzzles, opening tactics and level 2/3 computer, I decided to once again try my hand against real players. For once, I almost won. However, at around move 30, lost a rook in a bad trade and, being discouraged as I was, later blundered a bishop, leaving me down two knights, a pawn and in position. Does anyone have any tips on not getting too excited in a winning endgame and blundering away a lead?

I was playing black

Here is the PGN:

[Event "Casual game"]
[Site "lichess.org/HHIPMzx0"]
[Date "2016.03.03"]
[White "dopre"]
[Black "Koror"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1500"]
[BlackElo "1345"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl "300+5"]
[ECO "D01"]
[Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 { D01 Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation } 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 e5? { (0.08 → 1.22) Mistake. Best move was Bg4. } (4... Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Bd6 7. h3 Bh5 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 a6 10. a3 Be7 11. Re1 Re8 12. Rb1) 5. Bb5? { (1.22 → 0.00) Mistake. Best move was dxe5. } (5. dxe5 Ne4 6. Qxd5 Bf5 7. Bc4 Qxd5 8. Bxd5 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxc2 10. Nd4 Nxd4 11. exd4 c6 12. Bb3 Bf5) 5... a6? { (0.00 → 1.33) Mistake. Best move was e4. } (5... e4 6. Ne5 Bd7 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Be2 Bd6 9. b3 O-O 10. O-O Qc8 11. a4 Rb8 12. Ba3 Bg4 13. Bxg4) 6. dxe5?! { (1.33 → 0.47) Inaccuracy. Best move was Bxc6+. } (6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. dxe5 Nd7 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Qe2 h6 12. Be3 Rb8 13. b3 Qe8) 6... axb5 7. exf6 Qxf6 8. Nxd5 Qd6?! { (0.65 → 1.32) Inaccuracy. Best move was Qd8. } (8... Qd8 9. O-O Bd6 10. Nc3 b4 11. Nb5 O-O 12. Nxd6 Qxd6 13. Qxd6 cxd6 14. Bd2 Be6 15. a3 bxa3 16. Rxa3) 9. Ng5? { (1.32 → 0.12) Mistake. Best move was e4. } (9. e4 Qd7 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Nxc7+ Bxc7 12. Qxd7+ Kxd7 13. O-O-O+ Ke7 14. Bxc7 Rxa2 15. Kb1 Be6 16. Ng5 Rha8) 9... f6?! { (0.12 → 0.75) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nb4. } (9... Nb4 10. e4 Nxd5 11. exd5 Qe5+ 12. Qe2 Qxe2+ 13. Kxe2 h6 14. Ne4 f5 15. Nc3 Bd7 16. Kf3 b4 17. Ne2) 10. Ne4 Qe5 11. f3?! { (0.76 → 0.13) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nec3. } (11. Nec3 Bb4 12. f4 Qd6 13. Kf2 Bxc3 14. Nxc3 Qc5 15. Qd5 Qxd5 16. Nxd5 Kd8 17. e4 Re8 18. Be3 Bd7) 11... Bb4+ 12. c3 Ba5 13. Nc5 O-O? { (-0.08 → 0.94) Mistake. Best move was Ne7. } (13... Ne7 14. Nxe7 Qxe7 15. Nb3 Bb6 16. Nd4 Be6 17. a4 bxa4 18. Rxa4 O-O 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20. Kf2 Rxa4 21. Qxa4) 14. f4? { (0.94 → -0.38) Mistake. Best move was e4. } (14. e4 Qd6 15. Be3 b4 16. Qb3 bxc3 17. bxc3 Kh8 18. Rd1 Ne5 19. O-O Bb6 20. Nxb7 Bxe3+ 21. Nxe3 Qa6) 14... Qd6 15. Ne4 Qd7 16. Nc5 Qd6 17. Nb3?! { (-0.43 → -1.27) Inaccuracy. Best move was Ne4. } (17. Ne4 Qe6 18. Nc5 Qf7 19. e4 Rd8 20. Be3 Bb6 21. Qe2 Bxc5 22. Bxc5 f5 23. Nb4 Nxb4 24. Bxb4 fxe4) 17... Re8?! { (-1.27 → -0.71) Inaccuracy. Best move was Be6. } (17... Be6 18. e4 f5 19. Nxa5 Nxa5 20. O-O fxe4 21. Nb4 Qxd1 22. Rxd1 Nb3 23. Rb1 Nxc1 24. Rbxc1 Rxf4 25. a3) 18. O-O b4? { (-0.82 → 0.67) Mistake. Best move was Be6. } (18... Be6 19. Nxa5 Nxa5 20. e4 Bf7 21. Re1 Bxd5 22. exd5 Nc4 23. b3 Nb6 24. Bd2 Nxd5 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Qf1) 19. cxb4?! { (0.67 → -0.26) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nxa5. } (19. Nxa5 Rxa5 20. Nxb4 Nxb4 21. Qxd6 cxd6 22. cxb4 Rd5 23. b3 Bf5 24. Re1 Rd3 25. Kf2 Rc8 26. h3 Rdc3) 19... Nxb4 20. Bd2?! { (-0.19 → -0.89) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nxb4. } (20. Nxb4 Bxb4 21. a3 Qxd1 22. Rxd1 Bg4 23. Rf1 Bd6 24. Bd2 Bd7 25. Nd4 c5 26. Ne2 b6 27. Rac1 Bc6) 20... Nxd5?! { (-0.89 → -0.30) Inaccuracy. Best move was Qxd5. } (20... Qxd5 21. Nxa5 Nd3 22. b4 b6 23. Qb3 Be6 24. f5 Bf7 25. Qxd5 Bxd5 26. Nb3 Nb2 27. Nd4 Nc4 28. Rf2) 21. Bxa5 Nxe3 22. Qf3?? { (-0.41 → -3.82) Blunder. Best move was Qxd6. } (22. Qxd6 cxd6 23. Rfe1 Bd7 24. g3 Kf7 25. Bc3 b6 26. Bd2 Nd5 27. a3 Ra4 28. Kf2 Rae4 29. Rxe4 Rxe4) 22... Nxf1 23. Qxf1 b6? { (-4.23 → -3.23) Mistake. Best move was Rxa5. } (23... Rxa5 24. Nxa5 Qb6+ 25. Qf2 Qxa5 26. h3 Qd5 27. Rc1 c6 28. b3 Bf5 29. Re1 Rxe1+ 30. Qxe1 Kf7 31. g4) 24. Bc3 Re4 25. Bd2?! { (-2.93 → -3.50) Inaccuracy. Best move was Rd1. } (25. Rd1 Qxf4 26. Qxf4 Rxf4 27. a3 Be6 28. Rd4 Rg4 29. Rxg4 Bxg4 30. Kf2 Re8 31. h3 Bd7 32. Nd2 Kf7) 25... g5? { (-3.50 → -2.44) Mistake. Best move was Bb7. } (25... Bb7 26. Rd1 Rxa2 27. Bc3 Rxf4 28. Rxd6 Rxf1+ 29. Kxf1 cxd6 30. Kf2 b5 31. Nc1 Ra4 32. Nd3 Kf7 33. Nb4) 26. fxg5 fxg5 27. Qc4+?? { (-2.54 → -17.74) Blunder. Best move was Bc3. } (27. Bc3 Bb7 28. Rd1 Qc6 29. Nd4 Qc5 30. Kh1 Rf8 31. Nf3 Qf5 32. Qd3 Rf4 33. Qxf5 R4xf5 34. Rd7 R5f7) 27... Qe6?? { (-17.74 → -1.58) Blunder. Best move was Rxc4. } (27... Rxc4 28. Bc3 Rxc3 29. bxc3 Qe5 30. a4 Qxc3 31. Rf1 Qxb3 32. a5 Bb7 33. Kh1 Qd5 34. Rg1 Rxa5 35. h3) 28. Qxc7 Ba6? { (-1.54 → -0.54) Mistake. Best move was Qd5. } (28... Qd5 29. Bc3 Bd7 30. Nd2 Re2 31. Nf3 Rxa2 32. Rf1 Qc5+ 33. Qxc5 bxc5 34. Nxg5 Bc6 35. Nf3 Ra7 36. Re1) 29. Qc3? { (-0.54 → -2.39) Mistake. Best move was Bc3. } (29. Bc3 Qg6 30. Nd2 Re6 31. Nf3 Rf8 32. Qd7 g4 33. Ng5 Rd6 34. Qxg4 Rfd8 35. h3 h6 36. Nf3 Qxg4) 29... Qe5? { (-2.39 → -1.11) Mistake. Best move was Bb7. } (29... Bb7 30. Nd4 Qd5 31. Nf3 g4 32. Bh6 Qc5+ 33. Qxc5 bxc5 34. Nh4 Re2 35. a4 Ra6 36. Bf4 Rxb2 37. a5) 30. Re1?? { (-1.11 → -7.36) Blunder. Best move was Qxe5. } (30. Qxe5 Rxe5 31. Bc3 Rd5 32. Nd4 Re8 33. h3 h6 34. Nf3 Kf7 35. Re1 Rxe1+ 36. Nxe1 Bb7 37. Nf3 Rd8) 30... Rxe1+ 31. Bxe1 Qxc3?? { (-8.22 → -1.82) Blunder. Best move was Rf8. } (31... Rf8 32. Bf2 Qe2 33. h3 Qxf2+ 34. Kh2 Bb7 35. Qg3 h6 36. h4 Rf4 37. Qxf2 Rxf2 38. hxg5 Rxg2+ 39. Kh3) 32. Bxc3 Rd8?! { (-1.75 → -1.15) Inaccuracy. Best move was Bc4. } (32... Bc4 33. Nd2 Bxa2 34. Nf3 h6 35. Bd4 b5 36. Bc3 Kf7 37. Nd4 Bc4 38. Kf2 Kg6 39. Kg3 h5 40. h4) 33. Nd4 b5 34. Nc6 Rd6 35. Ne7+?! { (-1.19 → -2.00) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nb4. } (35. Nb4 Bb7 36. Kf2 Kf7 37. h3 h5 38. Nc2 Be4 39. Ne1 Rd8 40. g4 hxg4 41. hxg4 Kg6 42. a3 Bb7) 35... Kf7 36. Nf5 Rf6? { (-2.10 → 0.78) Mistake. Best move was Rd1+. } (36... Rd1+ 37. Kf2 b4 38. Be1 Rb1 39. b3 Rb2+ 40. Kf3 Rxa2 41. Bxb4 Bb7+ 42. Ke3 Bxg2 43. Bc3 Ra3 44. Nd4) 37. Bxf6 Kxf6 38. Nd4 Bb7? { (0.77 → 1.85) Mistake. Best move was Ke5. } (38... Ke5 39. Nf3+ Kf4 40. Kf2 h6 41. Nd2 Bb7 42. a3 Bd5 43. Nb1 Bc6 44. Nc3 h5 45. g3+ Kg4 46. Ne2) 39. a3?! { (1.85 → 1.12) Inaccuracy. Best move was Nxb5. } (39. Nxb5 Ke5 40. Kf2 Bc6 41. Nc7 Kd6 42. Na6 Bb7 43. Nb4 Kc5 44. Nd3+ Kd4 45. Ne1 Bd5 46. Nc2+ Ke5) 39... h5?! { (1.12 → 1.98) Inaccuracy. Best move was Ba6. } (39... Ba6 40. Kf2 h5 41. g3 Ke5 42. Ke3 Kd5 43. b3 h4 44. Ne2 hxg3 45. hxg3 Ke5 46. Nc3 Kf5 47. Ne4) 40. Nxb5 g4?! { (1.95 → 2.50) Inaccuracy. Best move was Ke5. } (40... Ke5 41. b4 Bc6 42. Nc7 Kd6 43. Na6 Kd5 44. Nc5 Kd4 45. Kf2 Bd5 46. g3 h4 47. Na6 Bc6 48. Nc7) 41. Nd6 Bd5 42. g3 Ke5 43. Nb5 Ke4?? { (2.22 → 8.04) Blunder. Best move was Bc6. } (43... Bc6 44. Nc3 Kd4 45. Ne2+ Ke3 46. Nf4 Be8 47. Nd5+ Kd3 48. Nf6 Bg6 49. Kf2 Bf7 50. b4 Kd4 51. a4) 44. Nc3+ Kf3? { (7.39 → 50.91) Mistake. Best move was Kd4. } (44... Kd4 45. Nxd5 Kxd5 46. Kf2 Kd4 47. b4 Kc4 48. Ke3 Kb5 49. Kd4 Kb6 50. a4 Kc6 51. b5+ Kd6 52. Ke3) 45. Nxd5 Ke2 46. a4 Kd2 47. b4 { Black resigns } 1-0

Dont lose focus

I am not aware of any beginner stage person getting better, ever, by playing speed chess. Slow games encourage a proper thought process - speed games encourage you to move fast. Playing the computer, when you have no personal stake in winning, also doesnt sufficiently motivate care for some - certainly for me. Similarly, my guess is that when you are doing tactics problems, you guess within 1 minute. You should be spending 3 minutes or more if you need too. Dont get a single flipping problem wrong unless its a concept you truly cant understand, and then come back to it again to make sure you still understand the concept. (If Lichess is set up to allow that. If not, switch to chesstempo.com ASAP.)

Like ArtNJ said, play longer games, and make sure you're thinking throughout the entire time. Look at what you would do if you were your opponent. Playing blitz is fun and all, but what really needs to improve for all of us is our ability to calculate and our ability to know just how good or bad positions are. Both of these can be developed longer games (game 30 or longer IMO) much more effectively than they can be developed in shorter games.

Would anyone recommend a specific time setting? I have tried playing unlimited, but people wait for so long to get games that they never move, even after a few hours in beginning position.

I agree with ArtNJ, but lots of fast training puzzles will help you become more aware of the whole board. So Chesstempo but I really like the chess.emrald.net trainer better.

Koror, between game 30 and game 90 should be plenty. Just make sure to use your time analyzing.

@myiasis I'm wondering if you're aware that you are flagged as a cheater. Do you feel it's a false flag? If not, can you tell us why you cheat?

@myiasis I also find the flag a bit confusing, but thanks for the advice anyway.