I Survived 24hrs Lichess Summer Marathon!😨 A Record of 709 Games and 19 hours 35 min Game Play

2024 Lichess Summer Marathon

Hello👋, fellow chess enthusiasts and bullet aficionados!!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to survive in a 24-hour Lichess bullet marathon? 🤔 1-minute games, non-stop action, adrenaline-pumping moves, and enough caffeine to power a low elo rated player like me🤪. Well, I recently embarked on this epic journey, and I lived  and survived to tell the tale. So, sit back, relax, and let me take you through my chessboard adventure, one move at a time, with some fascinating stats to highlight the experience and my games against titled players like GMs, IMs etc.

Disclaimer⚠️:- The sole purpose of writing the blog is to share my experiences and learnings, i do not promote/demote playing bullet chess. 

Ultra bullet game play by Ragehunter (Winner of the marathon)

Preparation and Strategy🧘-Before the tournament-
Preparation is the key. Like any good opening, a successful marathon requires a solid plan. The tournament was set to begin at 05.30 AM local time. I started by setting up my workspace. A comfortable chair, a good quality mouse, and a large monitor were essential. I stocked up on snacks, drinks and some gym equipment's like dumbbells, ensuring I had a mix of healthy options and the occasional sugary treat for those inevitable low-energy moments. I was knowing that i would have to stay awake physically and mentally both for next 35 hours (24 hours marathon + 10-12 hours for some chess classes) so i already prepared the lessons in advance that needed to be delivered to my students as i can't afford to compromise to the quality of lessons. Also i played 100s of games on chess.com to warm up my brain. With all these things we are ready to conquer.....

The Opening Gambit:-♟️

My initial and peak rating was 2218 so i was mentally prepared to lose even 200 to 300 points. The first few hours flew by very smoothly. My opponent's ratings were around 2100-2300 so i was winning losing and drawing, in short i was enjoying chess very much with some loud music in the room. Each win was a small triumph in the grand scheme of the marathon. The thrill of bullet chess is unparalleled-each game a new puzzle, each opponent a fresh challenge. As the hours ticked by, I developed a rhythm, finding my groove in the rapid-fire decision-making that defines bullet chess. My rank was around 250-350 for the first half of the tournament with a decent score of around 320.With this calculation i expected a score 640. Just to update the people reading the blog that a score of 550 points (as per the past marathon's statistics) were required to be in the top 500 safely. So even if i go terribly wrong i would be able to score 580-600 points without much efforts which means i am still in safe zone(nearby 380th rank).

The MiddleGame struggle: Ultimate breaking point-💔

However, things don't go as expected. The clouds turned black. The midgame (after the 1st half) is where the real struggle begins. Fatigue started to set in, No music or talking (on stream) as maintaining focus became a knightmare. Every single opponent was above 2450. The 2500+ rated players were very cruel, they were crushing me like anything. I lost like 15+ games in a row many many times, and was able to steal only few(1-3) wins in every 20-30 games. Also i slipped from nearby 330th rank to 420.  I was like the guy who went in forest or snowy mountains for picnic but weather has changed, now they are lost and struggling for life.

It reminded me of a very nice poem "Chand ke dono taraf" written by one of my friends, @naveenchourey (poet and writer)

The Marathon is like moon where the two halves are like two sides of the moon, contrast of each other....

This is where mental stamina comes into play. I took short breaks every couple of hours, stepping away from the screen to clear my mind and stretch my body. It’s like repositioning your pieces for a better endgame, essential for maintaining peak performance. During this phase, I faced my longest losing streak—16 consecutive games. It was a tough blow, but I reminded myself that even in chess, losing streaks are part of the game. It’s like a difficult position where you're down a piece but still have chances to draw or even win with a clever and sneaky tactic.

But Unfortunately for the first time ever i am below 490th rank and once at 500. I was able to feel the pain of losing because of mouse slip, piece blunder with some tactics and finally the game. There were more than 50 games where i was  winning completely against 2500+ rated titled players but lost because of timeout or mental laziness to finish off the game. and not only this occasionally i was also getting notified that "You lost rating points to someone who violated lichess TOS", #cheaters which was breaking me inside out, I can't even cry there is just no time, Shedd...

The Endgame Grind: Overcoming Obstacles in last 2 hrs-
As the marathon progressed into the wee hours, it became a true test of endurance. My opponents seemed to move faster, the pieces felt heavier, and the clock ticked louder. This was the end-phase, and I was in it for the long haul. I relied on my opening preparation and 2200 elo experience, sticking to familiar patterns and trusted strategies. But above all this i decoded something  (you will know later) after losing hundreds of games against the top players. And I am back in the business with the nice rank nearby 360. I started winning more. A great boost to the business and moral....

Checkmate to Fatigue: The Final Push-
As the 24-hour mark approached, I felt a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. I had played 709 games, faced countless opponents, and made twenty one thousands plus of moves got a final rank of 455. Each game was a battle, each victory a sweet reward. But the real victory was in knowing I had pushed my limits and emerged victorious, not just on the board, but in the marathon too. and above all a great learning experience.

You can relate of what he had gone through after finishing the WCC

Some key Statistics -📊

Score Card of my game play

Time Spent

5 Best Rated Victories 

Longest Losing Streak

Imagine getting beaten 16 times in a row at 2Am. Need patience and love for the chess to play on from here..

Learning Points-

1. Attacking and Aggressive chess⚔️

Attacking Chess allow you to shorten the game and allow for more opportunities.

In many Games where i went for early attack as opponent castled early and gave me the important information (location of enemy king) some examples...

2. Choose Shortest not safest way↔️

I used to believe that finishing off a winning game should be in the safest way possible. but 2500 and 2600 rated taught me a great lesson why im at 2200 only. In many games i was about to do checkmate in few moves but they flagged me off. Finishing off the game in shortest way make you more stronger.

3. Seek more without compromising 

Yha Kam Nazar ka Guzar nhi, Yha Ahl-e-Zarf ka Kam Hai.~Md Samie 

It is a fundamental principle that separates skilled players from novices. This approach emphasizes the importance of striving for better positions, gaining material, or achieving a strategic advantage without weakening one's own position. It's crucial because reckless pursuit of gains often leads to vulnerabilities that opponents can exploit, turning a promising position into a draw and some time disastrous one.

4. Intuition not Calculation🧠

5. Draw offers🤝

In the last 2 hours i (many times opponent too) offered draw in complicated unclear positions as we both needs points not loss. which was welcomed  warmly. Remember to offer draw only after 10 moves and 3rd draws doesn't give any point so break the streak first with a win.

6. Mental Brake

Take Frequent breaks go away from screen, do some exercise. this will help you to channelize your energy in proper direction. Mental fatigue will be very less too. I did cycling, running  and some exercise to keep myself active. 

Final Note📝

Surviving a 24-hour Lichess bullet marathon was a test of skill, endurance, and mental fortitude. It was like a prolonged endgame where every move counted, and every second was precious. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Because in the end, it’s not just about winning or losing—it’s about the love of the game, the thrill of the challenge, and the joy of each check, capture, and checkmate.

lichess profile sos-shubham 

So, to all the chess warriors out there, if you ever decide to embark on a marathon of your own, remember: preparation, stamina, and a touch of madness are your best pieces. And above all, enjoy the game. After all, in chess as in life, it's the learning and experiences in journey that makes you stronger not the not win/loss or medal/trophies.

Thanks for Reading till here. You May write below your experiences/learning from the this blog/tournament.

Happy checkmating!

On the land of Chess,

This Earth demands Sacrifice.