How to improve from 600 to 800 in chess
To improve from 600 to 800, stop giving pieces away: before every move, check what your opponent just attacked and whether each of your pieces is protected, then learn the basic checkmates. Then follow the weekly routine below for the hours you have. Among 23,283 rated Lichess games between players rated 600 to 800 on 1 September 2026, 21.0% ended on time and the average game lasted 26 moves, and the most common puzzle theme is mate in 1.
What should a player rated 600 to 800 work on first?
At this level the first goal is to stop giving pieces away. Before each move, look at what your opponent just did: what does it attack, and is each of your pieces protected? Learn how every piece moves and captures without hesitation, then add the basic checkmates with a king and a queen or a rook, because a won position you cannot finish is a common way to lose points.
The sections below show what the data say about games and puzzles at this level, and the last one turns it into a weekly routine you can adjust.
How do games end at 600 to 800?
21.0% of the games in this band were decided by the clock rather than on the board, and White scored 51.9% with a margin of 0.6 points. The table sets the band beside its neighbors.
| Rating band | Games | Ended on time | Average length (moves) | White score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600 to 800 | 23,283 | 21.0% | 26.1 | 51.9% |
| 800 to 1000 | 82,202 | 19.9% | 28.3 | 51.9% |
Which openings do players rated 600 to 800 play most?
The five most played opening families in this band make up 39.4% of its games. A score near 51.9%, the average for the band, means the opening does not stand out; the last column says whether White's score is clearly above or below that average once the margin is allowed for, and fewer games mean a wider margin.
| Opening | Games | Share of games | White score | Against the band average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Pawn Game | 3,244 | 13.9% | 52.6% | No clear difference |
| Queen's Pawn Game | 2,420 | 10.4% | 53.0% | No clear difference |
| Scandinavian Defense | 1,349 | 5.8% | 52.9% | No clear difference |
| Bishop's Opening | 1,128 | 4.8% | 54.0% | No clear difference |
| Italian Game | 1,042 | 4.5% | 54.6% | No clear difference |
Which puzzle themes are most common at 600 to 800?
Among the 373,662 Lichess puzzles whose puzzle rating lies between 600 and 800, mate in 1 is the most common theme (49.2% of the puzzles), followed by mate in 2 and kingside attack. A puzzle can carry several themes, so the shares add up to more than 100 percent.
| Theme | Puzzles | Share of the band |
|---|---|---|
| Mate in 1 | 183,908 | 49.2% |
| Mate in 2 | 88,632 | 23.7% |
| Kingside attack | 61,815 | 16.5% |
| Back rank mate | 43,101 | 11.5% |
| Fork | 40,557 | 10.9% |
| Rook endgame | 21,763 | 5.8% |
| Hanging piece | 19,638 | 5.3% |
| Sacrifice | 12,381 | 3.3% |
| Advanced pawn | 12,158 | 3.3% |
| Pillsbury's mate | 11,826 | 3.2% |
What does a weekly routine look like at 3, 6 and 10 hours?
Pick the column that matches the time you really have. The rows add up to the hours at the top of each column, and the last column gives the reason for each row.
| Activity | 3 hours | 6 hours | 10 hours | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tactics puzzles | 70 minutes | 120 minutes | 180 minutes | A piece left hanging often decides the game, so spotting loose pieces pays back first. |
| Slow games | 50 minutes | 100 minutes | 160 minutes | Time to think lets you use what you practice; very fast games reward guessing. |
| Reviewing your own games | 30 minutes | 60 minutes | 100 minutes | Your lost games show the mistake that keeps returning. |
| Endgame basics | 15 minutes | 40 minutes | 70 minutes | Basic checkmates and king and pawn endings turn an extra pawn into a win. |
| Opening ideas | 5 minutes | 15 minutes | 30 minutes | A few reliable moves for each color are enough; learn ideas, not long lines. |
| Lessons and model games | 10 minutes | 25 minutes | 60 minutes | Annotated games give the reasons behind plans and moves. |
Where do these numbers come from?
Lichess games on 1 September 2026 between players within 100 rating points, banded by the lower rating, and the Lichess puzzle database of 2 October 2026. The routines are our own advice. The hub page explains the method in full.
Frequently asked questions
How do I improve from 600 to 800?
To improve from 600 to 800, stop giving pieces away: before every move, check what your opponent just attacked and whether each of your pieces is protected, then learn the basic checkmates. The weekly routine on this page splits your hours across tactics, slow games, game review, endgames, openings and lessons.
How long does it take to get from 600 to 800?
No source can say. Players improve at very different speeds, and what you do each week matters more than the calendar. The routines above give a structure, and reviewing your own games shows whether it is working.
Should a player rated 600 to 800 study openings?
A little. A few reliable moves and the ideas behind them are enough, and most of the study time is better spent on tactics and on reviewing games.
Are puzzle ratings the same as game ratings?
No. Lichess puzzle ratings are a separate scale from game ratings, so a puzzle rating of 1200 does not mean a playing strength of 1200.
Sources
- Lichess open database, standard rated games (CC0), file for September 2026, read 2026-10-22
- Lichess puzzle database (CC0), read 2026-10-22
Related guides and tools
- How to improve from 800 to 1000 in chess
- How to improve your chess rating, by rating band
- Chess opening statistics for players rated under 1200
- Is a 700 chess rating good?
- Back rank mate in chess
- Fork in chess
- Rook endgame in chess
- Hanging piece in chess
- Sacrifice in chess
- Pillsbury's mate in chess
- Chess ratings explained
- Book your first lesson
Last updated 2026-10-22.
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