You're right in that there's a mess of openings and endgame theory to know if you want to start competing seriously, but it's also possible to improve your tact

You're right in that there's a mess of openings and endgame theory to know if you want to start competing seriously, but it's also possible to improve your tactical vision - which is the bulk of your practical playing strength - just with daily problem solving. http://chesstempo.com/ http://chesstempo.com/ is a great site for it (not my site, just one I'm happy to recommend.)