Credits to Riho Kroll on Unsplash
Chess Blocks
We never want our rating gains to be random like a dice but how do we overcome those periods?
Intro
When I started playing chess I was constantly improving. It wasn't that hard as I was always playing and an avid learner. After I started playing otb tournaments getting to 1100 was a breeze! Soon after reaching 1200 or so I encountered my first problem.
Encountering The Problem
It was at the time that I realized that I hadn't been improving for over 4 months and I was kinda worried, who would not? My rating spiked a bit (20ish points at a time or so) but then one day I went to a local tournament where I somehow crushed 3 1500s in a row! I then promptly entered the 1400ish rating stage.
Overcoming The Problem
My results were pretty good but then the unthinkable emerged: A year of no rating gain! I went to many tournaments to get a boost but no results showed. I soon proceeded to join a scholastic tournament full of people rated from 800 to 1800 and I hoped for the best.
The Tournament
Rounds 1-2 were against lower rated players but then round 3 came. This was the spiciest round which decided the rest of the tournament
(In this game I am Black and my opponent White)
I made a couple mistakes but played pretty solidly and later drew 2 1700s
What Happened?
You might ask, how were you one day a hundred points better than before? My answer is that a growth doesn't have to be big but exponential.
As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits once said:
If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up 37 times better by the time you're done.
If you are stuck in the same rating range for a long period of time chances are that you have lots of experience in that group and someday will improve. I like to categorize players who are in the same rating range but whose playing styles are completely different.
A Tale Of Two Players
As you can see below that I have made a table comparing players of similar rating but completely different playing styles
| Player One | Player Two |
|---|---|
| Just entered the current rating range | Very experienced, knows what he is dealing with |
| 1400-1430 | >1430 |
| Their moves are very rudimentary and basic | Their moves are calculated, timed, and scary |
As you can see above, that the 2nd player is stronger and more likely to improve
Outro
Anyways, thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed. If you enjoyed this blog please heart it and post any corrections. This blog can be applied to any category and is there to help you.