[no_wizard]

When I played competitively (for reference I was USCF ~2200) the most effective way to study was the following (as agreed upon by many coaches and others in the field)

1. Tactics tactics tactics. You should spend so much of your early time here

2. Study the endgame. Those skills translate to all Parts of the game because I’m studying how the end game works itnrellay opens your up to understanding longer term strategy.

3. Don’t focus on openings too much. Pick a few (like Ruy Lopez, Sicilian, or KIA/KID) and learn them enough to recognize some basic patterns around them. Consensus as I recall is that opening theory adds little value until you hit ~2100+ competitively

4. Once you are consitently at 1850 or so, start really studying in depth the middle game.

5. Finally, analyze great players of the past - pick a few who’s play style you like - and annotate those games yourself. Do this before you read the break downs from the pros, and compare notes. You’ll rapidly get better at this once you do it consistently. Also do the same with your own games