So I just finished a chess match with my 13 year-old sister (the one who initially taught me how to play chess). In that match, I made quite a big realization in my journey as a fledgling chess player.
The opening went quickly into the middlegame. A faulty move on my part ended up with me losing both of my Bishops in order to take one of her Rooks (I didn't quite think out the move before I made it; probably my biggest fault). From there she proceded to whoop me, taking out most of my pawns, and then eventually my Queen. But, I still had both of my Rooks, a few Pawns, a Knight, and of course my King. I used both of my Rooks to my advantage. In a few moves that surprised even myself, I took out her other Rook, Queen, Knight, and managed to promote a pawn. In the end, it was a stalemate. It could have possibly been a checkmate, but that would have taken hours to do (and I start my summer class tomorrow so that would definitely not have been feasible).
From this, I realized that so far, my strongest point in a game is the end (or at least end of the middle leading into the end) with both my Rooks. This is probably common, as Rooks are most powerful in that point of the game, but it makes me wonder what it means in terms of my overall skill. Am I truly getting better in my game, or am I just only rather decenet in commanding my Rooks when there are plenty of open files on the board?
I guess I'm going to have to play more to figure it out. But seeing as I stalemated in a game with someone who's been playing a lot more chess than I have, I can count it another victory.