I have been playing chess on this fabulous website but I do believe that I have reached my peak now.  My rating is between 1580~1630 dependent upon winning or losing some games.

Does anyone else feel that they have reached their peak?  Has anyone been able to improve their rating?  If so, how did you go about it?

I use tactics trainer nearly everyday (and do see an improvement in this way) but I do have a habit of playing the same way each time.  Just curious.

WhistleBlower,

I know how you feel, it can be tough. I think the best advice I can offer is to play stronger players than who you are playing currently. If you're rated 1600, you should seek out 1800+ players. First of all, you're going to lose most of your games. I'll have to see if I can find the reference, but if a player has a 200 point advantage, he/she should win 75% of the time. If that person has a 400 point advantage, he/she should win over 90% of the time.

The biggest advantage to doing this is playing stronger players will expose your weakness. If you are doing fine against these guys all the way until the endgame, then that's where you need to study. If you're 2 or 3 points down (material-wise) by the 10th move, then you need to study openings. Or maybe you need to learn more about Pawn structure. I think using Pawns effectively is definitely a defining characterisitic between a Class C and Class A player. Pawn levers, isolated Pawns, backward Pawns, and how to successfully Queen a pawn. These are often overlooked skills/tactics by your average player. Most people play until a blunder is made, and then they trade down to the endgame or a resignation.

Anyway, hope that helps. Good luck!

StorminMormon, that is the best advise that I have received.  Thank you for this.  I shall try out playing more stronger players (1800+) to improve both my play, tactics and hopefully my rating.

I never thought it out like you have but thanks again for the help.

Very good advice above and interesting that you explain the importance of pawn-play.  I have learned that pawn structure is of extreme importance.  It is the easiest thing to make a mess of.  In most games of Chess I have ever played where there appears to be no real break-through of tactics, the end-result is better for the player who has made the best pawn structure.

If you think you can't get better than around 1600 then I suggest you look at how you play with your pawns, if your make that part of your game very strong then your rating will improve vastly.  A lot of people think it's the easiest part and rush their pawn moves, this is such a bad idea and why they always lose to higher grades.  Also note that depending on how you position your pawns will determine how well you are able to use the rest of your pieces.  If you put a pawn in a vulnerable place you may find yourself forced to protect it for the rest of the game which disables the ability of some of your other pieces to play their part in winning.

If you want to play an unrated or take back game I am willing to try to help you, you just have to ask questions as we play. Do send me a message as my games are limited and I will open the flood gates for you.

There are many things to consider and the posts above are very accurate and informative in terms of trying to identify your weaknesses. Do read them again and try to absorb the material.

A few things:

1. Do you move your pawns too quickly or early in the opening rather than developing your pieces?

2. Do you look at each side of the board, before making your move, the pieces position on both sides? Anyone gaining territory? Under developed king or queen's side. A piece placement that could be critical later on, again on both sides.

3. Any suspected threat? Meaning not sure of what the opponent is up to. Then you may want to exchange to avoid tactical complications.

4. Are all pieces on the board including pawns protected? or ready for an exchange?

5. Would an exchange open a file for you to control or give you a chance to advance in the opponent's territory?

6. If ahead in pieces do you try to reduce material so you can easier promote a pawn?

7. When considering any exchange do you foresee your pawn structure after the exchange? This is so critical to have your pawns protected after any exchange and avoid doubled pawns on the same file as towards the game ending you likely will not be able to protect both pawns as it would mobilize 2 of your pieces taking them out of the battle and giving the opponent a free walk on the boardwalk if you know what I mean.

8. When you analyze any position what is your mental process? what do you look  at and in what order? How many moves ahead do you analyze or is it a well known line of play that needs only once more your confirmation? Still do check it out.

9. Analyze your games, therein lies the secret of getting better as you will identify weaknesses, with some experts sitting next to you if you can to point out possible alternative lines of play or wrong moves or better moves and the why for all the answers.

10. Books, how many books have you read? and what are their titles and what do they talk about? opening, tactical combinations, positional play, game ending, checkmates in x moves? With all of the knowledge out there today I personally would recommend to any chess player to read 2 books in a year and read over and over until the material is assimilated. This is a nice birthday or Xmas gift as well.

I have played for almost a 1/2 century and currently going thru Silman's Complete Endgame Course, a 500+ page book and a delight, starts at a beginner's level and brings you to the highest level of master. I have gone thru it once and will go thru at least 3 more times. 

11. Last but not least do you have a game plan? I mean a plan with the opening you selected even before you make the first move?

I have played with several players over the years and when asking their plan, the answer was 98% of the time to attack a certain piece or square? That is not a plan, you need to understand what the general lines of the opening you are playing is all about, sorry that I do not have any book in mind perhaps other readers can recommend a book after reading this post and I would personally likely buy one as my knowledge is not necessarily up to date on recent development but my game is not bad at all, so that you can formulate a specific plan and yes it will be modified according to your opponent's move but the main line will still be in your head.

Let's take the Sicilian opening.

1.e4 c5

Though 1...c5 does not develop any piece it breaks the symetry of the position right off the start, symmetry is like 1.e4 e5.

This is a long range plan and black has in mind to activate the queen side rook.

The plan for black is to try to exchange the white d pawn for their c pawn. Exchange a center white pawn for a side or wing black pawn opening an avenue for the black side. And further use the c opened file to attack the white's queen side in particular the c pawn.

White has the d file opened to counteract, but black hopes to neutralize white's action with their majority of central pawns e and d against e white d pawn.

This plan obviously only works if white advances their pawn to d4. If white does not make this move then black controls the majority of the center. Etc... etc.

This is what I call a plan. What you try to achieve and what you want to do in the long term and until then play the moves the best you can to bring you closer to the main line of play