Studying chess tactics

Studying tactics is going to improve your chess game a whole lot faster than rote memorization of boatloads of opening variations. In fact, studying and practicing tactics will improve your chess a whole lot quicker than any other kind of chess study (although studying endgames runs a really close second). If you learn to recognize tactical opportunities as they present themselves, you're going to start racking up more wins. The next step, of course, is learning how to create those opportunites. But neither of these happy circumstances will occur if you don't even begin a program of tactical study. It doesn't even have to be anything elaborate or terrifically well-organized. Just solve five or so tactics problems every day. That's it. It's just like an "easy weight loss program" except that this actually works. Don't spend two hours every day solving dozens or scores of tactics problems - that just turns your brain to mud. Simply solve five (or ten, if you're feeling ambitious) tactics puzzles each day and, most important of all, take the time to understand the problems. Look at them and figure out why they work as they do.