Sinking Elo. Advice?

Hi all,

I'm sure this is a common question, here. I guess I'm just dealing with some confusion. I've been studying more, watching more videos, and doing more puzzles. I can sense I am calculating better (still obviously making lots of mistakes). But, it seems that no matter how much work I put in, the opponents just get better. I am doing reviews on each game, and I'm amazed at how much theory/sound play is going on sometimes well into middle game before any significant mistakes are made (I know this is relative...I'm sure to a much higher rated player, we are messing up left and right. But, the engine is in some cases saying "best" best" "great!" well into middle game per move on both sides). I guess I should just completely disregard elo, but it feels a bit off having no real way to improve. This really isn't analogous to any other thing I've competed in. In my experience, beginners/bad players in almost any other game don't study at all. If you seriously start studying anything, in just about any other domain, you can leap to intermediate relatively quickly.

I guess it's just a psychological thing. I really have no reference point for chess, and I'm also an extremely late starter (starting in middle age). Does anyone else feel this way? It's kind of discouraging me from attempting to "improve", because the results are just bad. I was at my highest elo, when I hadn't done a single puzzle or studied anything (over a year ago). From what I remember, it was basically just a mission to find hanging pieces. Now that I've done way more puzzles, and studied more, I can't seem to find these sorts of mistakes nearly as often. My opponents are often using specific openings with intelligent pawn structures. They can advance and gain positional territory safely. I honestly feel like I'd need to hardcore study to get out of this player pool, although everyone says elo under 1000 is simply tactical blunders. This is sometimes the case, but very often, it's not as simple as that at all.

Anyway, is this all in my head? Anyone else experience something similar?

Chess takes time and patience to learn and improve, but most importantly it's about having fun. if you are not having fun with something then it will automatically be significantly harder to learn it. I have been playing for 16 years out of a love for the game. For me going around to the various in-person chess clubs as well as starting some of my own brought together a community of people who just enjoy the game. yes chess can and will be frustrating sometimes but I find that worrying to much about improving is what inhibits your improvement to begin with. Hope my insight helped, and if not then I wish you luck on your chess journey.

I appreciate the feedback, BeatWithFists. I really wanted to experience some sort of level up. I've been at my rating since I started years ago. I started playing, and got a around 700 elo, and then fluctuated up and down. I wanted to pierce through and improve a bit. And, maybe I have improved, but it is quite strange to put so much work and not increase in elo, even by a little bit. It just seems counter-intuitive, and unlike anything else I've done. I haven't improved at all in years of play. I am exactly where I started elo wise. Its just sort of baffling. At any rate, I think I'll retire any ambition to improve, just play to play. Appreciate the feedback.

I wasn't telling you to give up your ambition to improve. I was saying that playing to have fun and to enjoy the game Will help you improve in the long run as opposed to stressing yourself and beating yourself down after putting in so much work and not seeing much improvement. I am always trying to improve but I also do other things in my life besides just chess. I am in the US military so I focus on my work, I love to go hiking and enjoy a good book. Chess will always hold a special place as my favorite hobby but I don't want to get stressed and frustrated forcing myself to improve. I'd rather just enjoy the game and keep learning.

That sounds like a healthy way to look at it. I still don't know how my instincts haven't sharpened. But, it really is just a hobby. It isn't greatly distressing or anything. Just seems strange. I never struggled to get to my elo. It's like being a white belt in BJJ and being the exact same on year 4 as day 1. It's just baffling, I guess. I can, of course, accept that I am not very good. But, it seems like I would be better by now.

Hi! I looked at the 3 last games you lost, and to me it seems like you resign way too early. In two of those games, you had a better position than your opponent but then you resigned. Was this because you were tired or did you think you were lost? My biggest tip (still a beginner myself) is honestly to never resign, unless you're down extremely much in material (like more than 9 points). At this level, you might blunder a lot but then a few moves later your opponent blunders too and it's equal again, or you might even be winning. Don't give up - try to play solidly, keep your king safe, don't let your emotions get the better of you when you make a mistake and never resign. Always keep on playing. And also, when you find yourself on a losing streak, take a break! Don't keep playing out of frustration, that will probably only make things worse because you're already mentally tired and sad (I did this myself this weekend and regret it). Also recommend solving puzzles and playing 15/10 as that gives you time to think which is important. Best of luck!

Great advice @andreakarolina <3

Thank You Andrea. Will head the advice. Yes, today has been tiring/frustrating, but I probably do resign too early too often. I suppose, I also really do need a better positional understanding as well.

My advice is to do lot of puzzles but do them without rush. It is common to rush doing puzzles and go for the first move and then see what happens. Try to anticipate the moves before moving, take your time and embrace the mental struggle.

@Therealevanbennett I've had so many games where I blundered and lost a piece or even two, but continued playing and after a while my opponent blundered even more and I ended up winning. Things can always take a turn for the better I also find positional play really difficult but my friend who's really good at chess says that intuition and positional understanding develops naturally with time if we take the time to think through our moves and enjoy the game. I also recommend GothamChess on youtube if you don't follow him already, he's got really great videos where he teaches openings and plays opponents of different levels (including beginners) and explains why certain moves are good or bad. Highly recommend his channel!

My advice?

Ignore your rating.

Your rating isn't a measure of your intelligence, or of your worth as a person. It isn't even a measure of your ability at Chess.

It measures your past performance against a spectrum of opponents, from weaker to stronger.

The rating's legitimate use is to determine who you should be paired against next. More commonly it is used for flexing and bragging rights.

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone. I really appreciate it.

Take a vacation bro!... Comeback when you feel refreshed already...