1) don't hang pieces
2) notice when your opponent hangs pieces
3) win endgames where you're up material
should be enough to get you to 1500. 1) don't hang pieces
2) notice when your opponent hangs pieces
3) win endgames where you're up material
should be enough to get you to 1500.This seems like it should be somewhat more advanced, because players at a low level often will miss one move threats. But it is basically the first principle from which nearly all other good habits directly derive. Why develop all your pieces, not bring your queen out early, etc. Why do all those things when you know your opponent will often just miss something anyhow if you start pecking him with one move threats?
It's because if your opponent does not miss those threats, then you've likely just made your own position even weaker. And as a corollary a one-move threat which improves your position is perfectly fine of course, but in that case you're not hoping your opponent misses it. I mean you probably are, but you expect him to see it. But it doesn't matter - because your position has improved regardless.
At least, as someone not even 900, closing an endgame when I'm already winning sounds like the easier part. But it's hard to believe that's all it takes to get to 1500, it is not my impression that 1300+ players are losing to big "whoops" moments.
Without any tactics "take free pieces" probably only gets you to around 1200 (chess.com), but if it includes knight and pawn forks, skewers, pins, and discovered attacks it can get you to 1500. Playing perfectly every game is hard though. I would recommend having more chess knowledge than just those 3 rules before you really try for 1500.