hi
It's relatively easy to get those 1800 OTB by November with your playing strength. Tactics sure are useful but they won't win you games, I mean you can't expect to rely on tactics and just crush the field easily unless you get insanely good at them (which will take longer than a couple months), so do SOME tactics, and get a good chess book about positional chess the Nimzowitsch stuff is just great for the lower levels or the famous book by Bronstein about Zurich 1953. Read one of those too, make sure you understand them. Play rapid or standard and no blitz and you'll get to that weak A class play by November. If you want to play some games message me.
@the_loving_boy #6
Setting a rating goal is perfectly fine for most - if not all - chess players, is my impression.
It is just, imho, that the set rating goal and the set time needs to be reasonable, realistic.
It is for example unlikely to go from 1400 to 2000 in a few months time, unless one is very talented and working hard etc. Apart from that putting pressure on yourself is a choice that one makes. You can set a rating goal, and put yourself under a lot of pressure and suffer. You can also set a rating goal and play ... with that.
Just be playful, and don't get cramped by taking things too serious, or being too hasty.
The rating goal is usually just for yourself, so you only have yourself something to prove. Don't have to think about proving something to other people, so that burden can drop from your shoulders :)
Some time ago I set myself a 2300 blitz rating goal on Lichess.
I thought I could do it, because I was 2200+ rated a few times (Though always going up and down 1950 <-> 2200+).
I did put a blanc piece of paper next to my computer with "2300" written on so I would see my rating goal every day.
Then, after weeks and weeks, one day, during a Lichess marathon, I did it.
See here : lichess.org/@/achja/perf/blitz
A Lichess marathon is perfect for rating gain play. High rated opponents, half sleeping opponents, fast playing opponents berserking and making mistakes every now and then.
Also, during a marathon, a significant amount of high rated players will lose some games, and that can make it easier for yourself to win (Just look at yourself, if you win a few nice games in a row, you can feel sitting on top of the world, but losing a few games, it can be hard to get that out of your mind and stay happy and feel good. This can affect your game content).
A few years ago I have also set myself a 2000+ rating goal for standard tactics on chesstempo, and during a long time I had problems going over it, but I managed to do so, and then suddenly went over 2100+ there as well.
For puzzle solving your mood and concentration and patience can matter, maybe more than when playing chess games.
Old blog post about that rating goal.
www.chess.com/blog/achja/getting-better-at-tactics
Recently I set a rating goal for myself to break my record of mixed tactics on chesstempo, and after two months of intensive puzzle solving I did manage to do so.
GL, and ... HF !
Setting a rating goal is perfectly fine for most - if not all - chess players, is my impression.
It is just, imho, that the set rating goal and the set time needs to be reasonable, realistic.
It is for example unlikely to go from 1400 to 2000 in a few months time, unless one is very talented and working hard etc. Apart from that putting pressure on yourself is a choice that one makes. You can set a rating goal, and put yourself under a lot of pressure and suffer. You can also set a rating goal and play ... with that.
Just be playful, and don't get cramped by taking things too serious, or being too hasty.
The rating goal is usually just for yourself, so you only have yourself something to prove. Don't have to think about proving something to other people, so that burden can drop from your shoulders :)
Some time ago I set myself a 2300 blitz rating goal on Lichess.
I thought I could do it, because I was 2200+ rated a few times (Though always going up and down 1950 <-> 2200+).
I did put a blanc piece of paper next to my computer with "2300" written on so I would see my rating goal every day.
Then, after weeks and weeks, one day, during a Lichess marathon, I did it.
See here : lichess.org/@/achja/perf/blitz
A Lichess marathon is perfect for rating gain play. High rated opponents, half sleeping opponents, fast playing opponents berserking and making mistakes every now and then.
Also, during a marathon, a significant amount of high rated players will lose some games, and that can make it easier for yourself to win (Just look at yourself, if you win a few nice games in a row, you can feel sitting on top of the world, but losing a few games, it can be hard to get that out of your mind and stay happy and feel good. This can affect your game content).
A few years ago I have also set myself a 2000+ rating goal for standard tactics on chesstempo, and during a long time I had problems going over it, but I managed to do so, and then suddenly went over 2100+ there as well.
For puzzle solving your mood and concentration and patience can matter, maybe more than when playing chess games.
Old blog post about that rating goal.
www.chess.com/blog/achja/getting-better-at-tactics
Recently I set a rating goal for myself to break my record of mixed tactics on chesstempo, and after two months of intensive puzzle solving I did manage to do so.
GL, and ... HF !
@achja :Possible.
For example i January i was 1686 on another website had for May had a goal 1800 for May.
There i am with 1634
Because sometimes i was liek paralysing by losing some games in a row
For example i January i was 1686 on another website had for May had a goal 1800 for May.
There i am with 1634
Because sometimes i was liek paralysing by losing some games in a row
@Sarg0n I know that it might be impatient but , will I become a worse player if I try too hard? Is that what you mean whe you say " fail miserably"?
@kenzaburo really? reading the other responses, it seems that 1800 is too high.
@kenzaburo really? reading the other responses, it seems that 1800 is too high.
@the_loving_boy #14
You are still young aged. Huge rating swings are not uncommon with young chess players.
Also, it is good to supportive towards yourself. A positive and kind attitude towards yourself can bring you forward more easily. If you don't reach a rating goal, then you can look at what you can learn from those chess games, train harder or more effecient, and set yourself a new goal.
It is also good to realize that rating can fluctuate a lot.
I have played in otb tourneys where I won against a chess master and then lose against "weaker" players. So, how would that work out for my rating, and what is the real meaning of such a rating number ? Does it show my chess skills, or the blunder skills of my opponent, and my moments where I did profit from those mistakes ?
Years ago I played in Dieren Open, and the famous GM David Bronstein played there as well (He even played in the blitz tourney, where I also attented. Very cool !!).
Bronstein was playing in the highest group, but when I looked at his rating I was a bit surprised about it.
Years later I also saw some FMs with rating under 2200+.
At a local chessclub there's a CM with rating U2000 now.
It happens that some chess players get a title, and then after some time, especially with old aged players, their rating simply drops, sometimes with hundreds of points.
It is, imho, good to be aware that rating is basically just a temporary value (And not always showing your own chess strength) that can fluctuate quite a lot. Down ... and up !
You are still young aged. Huge rating swings are not uncommon with young chess players.
Also, it is good to supportive towards yourself. A positive and kind attitude towards yourself can bring you forward more easily. If you don't reach a rating goal, then you can look at what you can learn from those chess games, train harder or more effecient, and set yourself a new goal.
It is also good to realize that rating can fluctuate a lot.
I have played in otb tourneys where I won against a chess master and then lose against "weaker" players. So, how would that work out for my rating, and what is the real meaning of such a rating number ? Does it show my chess skills, or the blunder skills of my opponent, and my moments where I did profit from those mistakes ?
Years ago I played in Dieren Open, and the famous GM David Bronstein played there as well (He even played in the blitz tourney, where I also attented. Very cool !!).
Bronstein was playing in the highest group, but when I looked at his rating I was a bit surprised about it.
Years later I also saw some FMs with rating under 2200+.
At a local chessclub there's a CM with rating U2000 now.
It happens that some chess players get a title, and then after some time, especially with old aged players, their rating simply drops, sometimes with hundreds of points.
It is, imho, good to be aware that rating is basically just a temporary value (And not always showing your own chess strength) that can fluctuate quite a lot. Down ... and up !
@noobforlife #15
Real chess starts at 2200, it is relatively easy to get to 2000 fast, then it takes literally tons of training to make the slightest progress. And of course 1800 isn't a lot. Choose a way to train and follow it until November on a daily basis and you will get there. I mean 1800 is literally getting a 50% against 1800 opposition. Say 3 wins 3 draws 3 loses in a 9 round swiss, it is easily achievable you'll see.
Real chess starts at 2200, it is relatively easy to get to 2000 fast, then it takes literally tons of training to make the slightest progress. And of course 1800 isn't a lot. Choose a way to train and follow it until November on a daily basis and you will get there. I mean 1800 is literally getting a 50% against 1800 opposition. Say 3 wins 3 draws 3 loses in a 9 round swiss, it is easily achievable you'll see.
You will reach 1700-1800 quite fast. From there its a bit mor tricky. But to play many games against higher rated player (2100+) ans then learn from mistakes.. look ing for opening setups and get a Stable repertoir you reach 1800. For 2000 you should in the opening know your pet lines and know a bit more indepth opening. Also tactics should work. Above that 2100 which was your goal you must know most lines in your openings and oppents and this to middlegame. Tactics work and you have a Nice positions understanding. Above that you should think chess a know the most :D. Im about 1800 inte low er ranks. A would like to be 2000. But it wont happen. Im to lazy with the oPening.
@janosopeligroso are openings really that important ? Masters always Say that below 2200 OTB strength you can survive with opening principals. And I thought studying endgames is more critical but I might be wrong.
Openings are really not important :D Well, I mean you should not spend much time for studying openings, but if you play some certain setups relying on "opening principles", you should look after each game if you played the opening soundly, by the master database. If you don't quite understand an opening move in the database, look at some master games starting with this line: what was the followup and what was the middlegame battle about. (Engine lines can also be helpful, of course.) This'll help you to improve your understanding of both opening principles and middlegame plans.
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