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My 2023 in Review and Goals for 2024

My 2023 in Review and Goals for 2024

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Chris-C
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The year 2023 was a much better chess year than 2022. I did not meet all of my goals, but still a decent year. Highlights included scoring my first two draws against national masters, getting in fifty OTB tournament games, and hitting a new peak USCF rating of 1843. Downsides included missing not one but two category-1 norms by just ½ point each, blowing my first win against a NM (this was one of my two NM draws—comp said I had a -10 advantage right before I blundered and had to settle for the half point), and coming down with COVID at the end of the US Senior. 

2023 Highlight: Playing on the SDKS team at MOTCF.

Here is how I fared with my goals for the past year (5/8 goals met).

Process Goals for 2023

  • Failure: Play at least twelve classical games (min G/90+30) and analyze them thoroughly; I played only ten at this time control, and didn't manage to analyze them all.
  • Failure: Complete Weteschnik's Chess Tactics From Scratch.* I've finished 11.5/12 chapters, and still have to do the 300 puzzles at the end.
  • Success: Finish the Polgár mates in three through #4462.*
  • Success: Study Silman's Complete Endgame Course, Part V.* 

Outcome Goals for 2023

  • Failure: Secure at least one USCF 1st-category norm (I fell ½ point short—twice!).
  • Success: Score 50% or better in USCF tournaments (I scored 52.9%).
  • Success: Reach a new USCF peak rating (now 1843).
  • Success: Earn a USCF 2nd-category title (huzzah!)
     

2023 Highlight: Hanging with Jesse at the US Senior Open

Here are my goals for the coming year. 

Process Goals for 2024

  • Finish Weteschnik's Chess Tactics From Scratch.*
  • Finish Part 6 in Silman's Complete Endgame Course.*
  • Study Vukovic's Art of Attack in Chess.*
  • Play in fifty USCF OTB games.
  • Complete the Polgár mates in two through #2100.
  • Deeply analyze at least 12 OTB tournament games (regardless of time control). 

Outcome goals for 2024 (from least ambitious to most ambitious)

  • Reach 100 USCF OTB game wins (currently at 78).
  • Score 50% or better for the year in USCF tournaments.
  • Reach a new peak USCF rating (1844+).
  • Break 1900 USCF.
  • Breach the top 100 in Ohio (this requires a rating around 1920).
  • Pick up one USCF category-1 norm.

2023 Highlight: Carpooling with my bud Marco (left) to a bunch of tournaments (though the game we played against each other in the photo ended horribly for me...). 

I almost certainly won't meet all of the outcome goals for the year, as some are a bit more ambitious as last year's, and I didn't meet all of those. But aiming a little high gives me something to really strive for, which is good I think. 

I wish everyone the best for the new year, and good luck to all of you achieving your own chess goals!

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*These books and chapters are assigned to my cohort in the Chess Dojo Training Program.