[mseidl]

I've been playing chess since I was 6, and I'm 7 now.

You should learn endgame and tactics, the basics of opening and maybe a few openings. endgame will teach chess. openings teaches you openings. especially when you're a beginner people will make moves that don't make sense. Plus aren't there like over 4 or 5 quadrillion possible moves just within the first 10 moves?

[FartyMcFarter]

It doesn't necessarily matter that there are quadrillions of possible openings. Studying traps that occur often in the openings you play is definitely helpful.

For example, if you're an 1. e4 e5 player you'll want to learn how to counter the Fried Liver attack, as it's one of the most popular lines at the beginner to intermediate level.

You don't need to know many lines 7 moves deep either, just a couple of moves is already very helpful.

[lostlogin]

Are you able to confirm there isn’t a typo here? You’re 7?

[ACow_Adonis]

with comments back past 2018 i think it's safe to say its a typo xD

[kqr]

Is this advice not going in the exact opposite direction to what looks like a well-researched TFA with an n=1 experiment to back it up? Why do you think your opinion differs?

[bjornlouser]

TFA mentions that their openings preparation didn't help much, and mentions next steps as learning "Basic Endgames".

The minute you stop blundering pieces you find yourself in a nearly even endgame.