lichess.org
Donate

How do I get better???

Hi, I am a 1750 FIDE rated player from India. I actually had a peak of 1820 but I lost a 70 points across 3 different tournaments. I don't know why but Ever since, I think my game has been going down. I am blundering pieces against lower rateds and am getting easily outclassed by higher rateds. As I am in higher grades of my schooling, I can't just abandon my studies nor does my heart allow me to quit chess. What shall I do to simultaneously maintain my good grades in school and reach my target which is 2000 FIDE in 2.5 years?

Hi, I am a 1750 FIDE rated player from India. I actually had a peak of 1820 but I lost a 70 points across 3 different tournaments. I don't know why but Ever since, I think my game has been going down. I am blundering pieces against lower rateds and am getting easily outclassed by higher rateds. As I am in higher grades of my schooling, I can't just abandon my studies nor does my heart allow me to quit chess. What shall I do to simultaneously maintain my good grades in school and reach my target which is 2000 FIDE in 2.5 years?

"I am blundering pieces"

  • Always blunder check before you move.

"against lower rateds"

  • Do not underestimate lower rated players.

"outclassed by higher rateds"

  • Do not get intimidated by higher rated players.

"I can't just abandon my studies"

  • Do not do that.

"quit chess"

  • No need to. Many strong chess players have university degrees.

"good grades in school"

  • 'I ... have two vocations: chess and engineering. If I played chess only, I believe that my success would not have been significantly greater. I can play chess well only when I have fully convalesced from chess and when the 'hunger for chess' once more awakens within me.' - Botvinnik, World Chess Champion and Ph.D. in Engineering.

"target which is 2000 FIDE in 2.5 years?"

  • That is a modest target. 2000 in 1 year is possible.
"I am blundering pieces" * Always blunder check before you move. "against lower rateds" * Do not underestimate lower rated players. "outclassed by higher rateds" * Do not get intimidated by higher rated players. "I can't just abandon my studies" * Do not do that. "quit chess" * No need to. Many strong chess players have university degrees. "good grades in school" * 'I ... have two vocations: chess and engineering. If I played chess only, I believe that my success would not have been significantly greater. I can play chess well only when I have fully convalesced from chess and when the 'hunger for chess' once more awakens within me.' - Botvinnik, World Chess Champion and Ph.D. in Engineering. "target which is 2000 FIDE in 2.5 years?" * That is a modest target. 2000 in 1 year is possible.

"... playing too many games at a fast time limit will corrupt the decision making process. Instead of playing good moves, a player honed on blitz will look for moves he can make quickly and perhaps bring himself closer to a win on time. ...
... you need to keep to time limits in which the chess position is more relevant than the thinking time, and, ideally, much more relevant. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2010)
"... Most internet players think that 30 5 [(30 minutes with a five second increment added every move)] is slow, but that is unlikely slow enough to play 'real' chess. ... Many internet players are reluctant to play slower than 30 5 so you might have to settle for that as a 'slow' game." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627010008/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman12.pdf
That was back in 2002. These days, you might have to settle for 15+10.
"... Though being a chess pro might sound romantic (it certainly did to me when I was young), the romance quickly melts away when you realize that you’re broke, starving, and living in a hovel. ... Of course, being a grandmaster and teaching students and writing books isn’t that bad. But you would make far more money and have much more security if you went to university and got a great career. ...
It's not all bad news!
... I’ve known many very low-rated chess teachers who are absolutely excellent. Teaching is a skill, and even if you’re rated 1500, you might be just what the doctor ordered for children or beginners of any age. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2016)
https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-anyone-be-an-im-or-gm
"... Most players have the potential for a certain level; once they have reached it they can only make further progress with a great effort. ..." - from a 12 page chapter on becoming a chess professional in the book, Luther's Chess Reformation by GM Thomas Luther (2016)

"... playing too many games at a fast time limit will corrupt the decision making process. Instead of playing good moves, a player honed on blitz will look for moves he can make quickly and perhaps bring himself closer to a win on time. ... ... you need to keep to time limits in which the chess position is more relevant than the thinking time, and, ideally, much more relevant. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2010) "... Most internet players think that 30 5 [(30 minutes with a five second increment added every move)] is slow, but that is unlikely slow enough to play 'real' chess. ... Many internet players are reluctant to play slower than 30 5 so you might have to settle for that as a 'slow' game." - NM Dan Heisman (2002) https://web.archive.org/web/20140627010008/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman12.pdf That was back in 2002. These days, you might have to settle for 15+10. "... Though being a chess pro might sound romantic (it certainly did to me when I was young), the romance quickly melts away when you realize that you’re broke, starving, and living in a hovel. ... Of course, being a grandmaster and teaching students and writing books isn’t that bad. But you would make far more money and have much more security if you went to university and got a great career. ... It's not all bad news! ... I’ve known many very low-rated chess teachers who are absolutely excellent. Teaching is a skill, and even if you’re rated 1500, you might be just what the doctor ordered for children or beginners of any age. ..." - IM Jeremy Silman (2016) https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-anyone-be-an-im-or-gm "... Most players have the potential for a certain level; once they have reached it they can only make further progress with a great effort. ..." - from a 12 page chapter on becoming a chess professional in the book, Luther's Chess Reformation by GM Thomas Luther (2016)

Thank you guys. But as @tpr says I don't judge a book by it's cover. I have met many GMs and have even Beaten one

Thank you guys. But as @tpr says I don't judge a book by it's cover. I have met many GMs and have even Beaten one

@Alakaluf said ^

Playing mild blindfold could give you a fresh view on chess.
Use my app for it: https://lichess.org/@/Alakaluf/blog/why-and-how-you-should-do-mild-blindfold-chess/rOKQR0o3

Thanks bro. I am gonna create a separate account for it

@Alakaluf said [^](/forum/redirect/post/p6XQBrBq) > Playing mild blindfold could give you a fresh view on chess. > Use my app for it: https://lichess.org/@/Alakaluf/blog/why-and-how-you-should-do-mild-blindfold-chess/rOKQR0o3 Thanks bro. I am gonna create a separate account for it

@vedappu said ^

Thank you guys. But as @tpr says I don't judge a book by it's cover. I have met many GMs and have even Beaten one

That means that you can beat higher rateds. Play at your real strength.

@vedappu said [^](/forum/redirect/post/UYHUQdjJ) > Thank you guys. But as @tpr says I don't judge a book by it's cover. I have met many GMs and have even Beaten one That means that you can beat higher rateds. Play at your real strength.

I've found myself to have a similar problem as OP -- inevitably, I have attended much fewer chess tournaments in the last four years because of high school. If you have a goal of consistently improving, make time for yourself to study what you think needs work, whether that be opening theory, tactics, or endgames. If you keep playing tournaments without studying enough, you will probably feel burnout. However, if you play less tournaments and take the time to study at home (perhaps reinforcing your knowledge with blitz/rapid games online), you'll know you are coming back stronger every time and, on top of all your preparation, this should serve as an extra motivator for you.

I've found myself to have a similar problem as OP -- inevitably, I have attended much fewer chess tournaments in the last four years because of high school. If you have a goal of consistently improving, make time for yourself to study what you think needs work, whether that be opening theory, tactics, or endgames. If you keep playing tournaments without studying enough, you will probably feel burnout. However, if you play less tournaments and take the time to study at home (perhaps reinforcing your knowledge with blitz/rapid games online), you'll know you are coming back stronger every time and, on top of all your preparation, this should serve as an extra motivator for you.

@abyss-void said ^

I've found myself to have a similar problem as OP -- inevitably, I have attended much fewer chess tournaments in the last four years because of high school. If you have a goal of consistently improving, make time for yourself to study what you think needs work, whether that be opening theory, tactics, or endgames. If you keep playing tournaments without studying enough, you will probably feel burnout. However, if you play less tournaments and take the time to study at home (perhaps reinforcing your knowledge with blitz/rapid games online), you'll know you are coming back stronger every time and, on top of all your preparation, this should serve as an extra motivator for you.

Thanks bro! Will follow it

@abyss-void said [^](/forum/redirect/post/clPVXi1x) > I've found myself to have a similar problem as OP -- inevitably, I have attended much fewer chess tournaments in the last four years because of high school. If you have a goal of consistently improving, make time for yourself to study what you think needs work, whether that be opening theory, tactics, or endgames. If you keep playing tournaments without studying enough, you will probably feel burnout. However, if you play less tournaments and take the time to study at home (perhaps reinforcing your knowledge with blitz/rapid games online), you'll know you are coming back stronger every time and, on top of all your preparation, this should serve as an extra motivator for you. Thanks bro! Will follow it