Road To 1500 OTB part two!

Road to 1500 OTB – Part Two: Building My Identity as a Player
Part One did better than I expected, and I appreciate everyone who read and commented. It reminded me why I started writing this in the first place: to document the process, not just the destination.
While 1500 OTB is my immediate milestone, I want to be honest about the bigger picture.
The real end goal is 2000 OTB.
But nobody jumps from 1200 to 2000 in one leap.
You go 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600... and so on.
This blog is about respecting those steps.
Right now, I’m 1205 USCF, and my main focus is becoming a more consistent, principled player with a clear identity.

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Knowing What Kind of Player I Am
One thing I’ve learned is that improvement accelerates once you stop playing “random chess” and start playing your chess.
I’m an 1.e4 player.
I like open positions, active piece play, and clear plans. As White, I gravitate toward systems that give me development and initiative without memorizing endless theory. I especially love the Scotch, and I’ve put a lot of study time into understanding its ideas rather than just move orders.
Instead of bouncing between openings, I’m trying to:

• Stick to a small, reliable repertoire
• Learn typical structures
• Understand plans for both sides

Familiarity beats surprise value.

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What I’m Studying Right Now
Most of my structured study is coming from Chessable courses.
I’ve been working through courses focused on how to handle 1.d4 systems as Black, and it’s been extremely helpful. Not just for memorizing moves, but for understanding:

• Where my pieces belong
• Typical pawn breaks
• Common tactical ideas

I’m also using 1.e4 systems for White, which fits my preference for repeatable setups.
The theme here is simple: fewer openings, deeper understanding.

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My Current Dilemma as Black vs 1.e4
Against 1.e4, I’ve mostly been playing the Sicilian.
I like the fighting nature of it. I like that Black isn’t passive.
But I’m starting to realize something important:
The Sicilian is very complicated.
At my level, complexity often hurts more than it helps. I don’t lose Sicilian games because my opponent outplays me strategically. I lose because I:

• Forget theory
• Misjudge tactics
• End up in chaotic positions I don’t fully understand

So I’m seriously considering transitioning to the French Defense.
The appeal:

• Clear pawn structures
• More strategic plans
• Less forced memorization

For where I’m at right now, a slightly more solid and structured defense might lead to better results and better learning.
This isn’t about choosing “safe” chess.
It’s about choosing appropriate chess.

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How I’m Trying to Play My Games
My current priorities during games:

• Don’t hang pieces
• Develop all pieces
• Castle early
• Improve worst-placed piece
• Only attack when position justifies it

That alone probably accounts for most of the rating I’ll gain from 1200 to 1400.
I’m not trying to be a tactician or a positional wizard yet.
I’m trying to be hard to beat.

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The Bigger Picture
I don’t expect fast progress.
I expect steady progress.
If I can gain 100 rating points at a time through better habits, better openings, and better discipline, I’ll eventually reach 1500.
If I can reach 1500, I can aim for 1600.
And step by step, I’ll move toward 2000.
This is a long road.
I’m on it.
Part Three will probably focus on mistakes I keep making and how I’m trying to eliminate them.
One move at a time.