The Patzer Journals: If You're Going to Play, You have to Spar

If you're new to my chess ramblings I reached the 1400+ level about a year and a half ago and then I set chess aside. I calculated at that time I was in the 95 percentile on chess.com. That was good enough. But, you know, chess is a mistress that will not be left alone. So, I'm back, and my ratings are plunging. Yes, I am studying my puzzles and doing some Chessable opening theory, but I realized that if I was going to play again, I needed to play more games. 

You don't box, if you don't spar. You gotta put on the gloves and get into the ring. Also, I realized that I would have to give up my insistence on only playing sixty-minute games. I don't have time for sixty-minute games. So, although I am not as good at shorter time intervals, I decided I would play 15/10 games and get my nose bloodied. 

My first game was against alarang35. Alarang has been on chess.com since 2023. In that time, he has played over 3000 games. Damn impressive. He was rated 1331. I was rated 1239. This was perfect, I would have a valid excuse for losing. 

And the game was begun. I had the white pieces. I played 1. d4 and he transitioned into the King's Indian. I was generally aware that I was not great against that black defense. After the game I looked it up. I was right. I only have a 32%-win record against it as white.  On the other hand Alarang plays it a lot. Following this game, he played it again within the half hour and achieved a win. (Although in looking at that game his opponent was in a statistical tie when he resigned early, which makes me think there were things happening in real life, which forced the resignation.)

Be that as it may, I present you the game.