As recently as July actually. Now I struggle to stay in above 1500. Since starting online chess about 8 years ago my blitz rating gradually increased. For the last year or so it felt like the high 1600s low 1700s was my natural spot. The last few months have felt different. Obvious blunders from my opponents don't happen nearly as often. Many times I can tell I'm going to lose early in the game based on the pace of play and opening. Did the rest of my rating range suddenly leave me behind?
They watch videos. They read books. They play and analyse their games. What about you?
All blitz, bullet, and ultra-bullet do not help you. These breed bad habits.
It's time to start playing rapid. And finally start learning chess.
You can play some classical games and move pieces slowly, maybe you will feel differently.
@firebreathingpoptart I'd listen to these people. They know what they are talking about and, from my limited interactions with them, they seem to be interested in helping lower-rated players (such as myself).
@lizani said [^](/forum/redirect/post/G8cQc7iH)
> They watch videos. They read books. They play and analyse their games. What about you?
How do you still have provisional ratings after 1000 games?
@DoomedBishop said [^](/forum/redirect/post/gd6eszBt)
> @firebreathingpoptart I'd listen to these people. They know what they are talking about and, from my limited interactions with them, they seem to be interested in helping lower-rated players (such as myself).
These are generic answers. Of course I know slow chess would improve my results.
@firebreathingpoptart I would run more questions by them. I have found tpr, specifically, to be very helpful. I don't know what other questions you might have. Anyway, I was once around 1750 (classical). My rating took a bit of a nosedive, and now I am trying to get into the 1700s again. One of my mistakes has been to play a bunch of rated games before learning the moves of certain openings (such as The Ruy Lopez, The Italian Game, The French Defense, and the Queen's Gambit Declined)--learning them, not memorizing them. I should have practiced the openings in unrated games, especially unrated OTB games. Now it's harder to reach 1700--I am lucky to get 5 or 6 points for a win, unless I can beat someone who is 1750 to 1800 (which is improbable at this point). Do you have a chess club nearby?
Anyway, I didn't mean to waste your time. I apologize for my earlier post. I know you have to take what people say with a grain of salt. Well, I hope you don't ever give up on chess. I have, on several occasions...
@firebreathingpoptart said [^](/forum/redirect/post/CZ48mHyT)
> As recently as July actually. Now I struggle to stay in above 1500. Since starting online chess about 8 years ago my blitz rating gradually increased. For the last year or so it felt like the high 1600s low 1700s was my natural spot. The last few months have felt different. Obvious blunders from my opponents don't happen nearly as often. Many times I can tell I'm going to lose early in the g...
There are a lot of cheaters on this site, lots of kids messing around, lots of sandbaggers. Chances are, your strength of play is the same, but the undercurrent of illegitimate play is strong and only increasing.
People are not getting better at chess; they are getting better at not getting caught cheating at chess.