Disaster to Master: The Beginning of My Chess Journey #1

Goals

Primary Goal: National Master (USCF title)

My primary goal for my chess journey is to obtain the NM title. For those of you who do not know, the NM title is achieved by reaching a USCF rating of 2200. It is not a FIDE title, but it is still good enough for me! I am currently 1501 as of 9/27/2024 so I only have 699 elo left!

I want to achieve this title because it seems like something tangible, and I would like that to showcase the amount of time and effort I put into chess. This goal will motivate me, but ultimately, I will not be surprised if I never obtain it. This is more about the journey of self-improvement.

Secondary Goals:

Establish a Study Routine

Another one of my goals is to establish a study routine for my chess. Currently, my chess training consists of maybe a few puzzles here and there, and mixing in some lines on chessable then I call it good. This lacks structure, and I know that to make great strides. I will have to structure my training, and that itself will be a challenge for myself to develop.

This could take many forms, and we will go deeper into this in a later blog pos, but I am imagining a routine where I spend x amount of time per week(or day) doing puzzles, studying the opening, and analyzing games. This is something I will certainly need to look deeper into with someone more experienced than me!

Play Lots of Tournaments

My next goal is to play lots of OTB tournaments. With tournaments comes games, and with games comes losses, and with losses comes lessons, and with lessons comes improvement. Tournaments will obviously be a pre-requisite to obtaining a title, so it is obvious I want to play more as a goal.

Another great reason to play more tournaments is the chess community. The people involved in chess in my area are all great, and I am missing out by not playing as much as I can. I am sure that through chess, I can build lifelong friendships that I would otherwise not have, so I am looking forward to this aspect.

Enjoy Chess!

My final goal is to enjoy chess for what it is. If at any point in this journey I find myself hating chess more than loving it, I have no problem putting it down, but I doubt that will happen. I have always found joy in improvement regarding any activity I have done, so I imagine I will find that same joy.

To me, chess is a hobby, and I really love chess. I hope to continue my love for chess as I progress, but I will keep you guys posted.

Plan to Execute

Classical Chess

Playing lots of serious classical chess games will be my main focus to get better. This is because like I stated earlier, these serious games will showcase my strengths and weaknesses, and this can paint the roadmap for my journey to 2200.

The first way I will be playing classical chess is through the Lichess4545 league. I am currently in my second season of this league and I love it. Players take the games very seriously so it is a great way to get some good practice in. Additionally, the team format allows me to collaborate with others about ideas and positions.

The second way is by playing more tournaments. This is funny because playing more tournaments was a goal, but it is also a means to an end. I would like to play as much as possible, but at the very least, I want to average 1 tournament(or 5 rounds) a month.

Playing long, serious, classical games is going to improve my focus, calculation, and give me more material to go over during my training sessions.

Solo Training Sessions

Solo training sessions are going to be key to improvement. During these sessions, I will analyze games, solve puzzles, study the opening and endgame, and much more.

As long as my brain is working on chess, I think I will be getting better. The content that I am spending time on is to TBD, but I think more importantly I am consistent.

Private Coaching

Finally, continuing my weekly sessions with my coach will be a way to improve. It is important that this is not the only thing I do, as 1 hour a week is not enough for serious chess improvement, but having a coach will allow me to pave the way to personal success.

Conclusion

I love chess. I want to get better. This is my journey.