[pelasaco]

> That’s actually wrong. Short-term patterns will improve your chess short-term but you’ll hit the plateau pretty fast

What you wrote, is exactly in-line with what the OT said: "Especially at lower levels, chess is a game of short term patterns, not long term strategy."

You are beginner, you need some opening, some little patterns to move out from the beginner level, and then you reach a new plateau, but you understand the basic, you have your "first stripe white belt" game and from there you should search for sure a way to move to the next plateau.

[Misha_Bilous]

Not having a long-term plan and focusing on short-term patterns is fundamentally wrong. You won't only hit the plateau but will be stuck there unless you relearn chess the right bias-free way.

[pelasaco]

> Not having a long-term plan and focusing on short-term patterns is fundamentally wrong.

There is nothing wrong in just wanting to learn to play chess, have some tricks under your belt and having fun.. focusing on short-term patterns, as adult, maybe not having a lot of time to learn "the right bias-free way" is the easiest way to start having some fun.

[Misha_Bilous]

That's right! If you want to spend on chess only a couple of months or beat your friends, then short-term patterns and gambits would be the best choice :)