The Chess Roller Coaster

A Month of Twists: From a Joke to Scrutiny, and Finally... I'm Back!

The past month has been a rollercoaster on Chess.com. It all started when I jokingly emailed Erik Allebest about the possibility of receiving the 'M' title for my achievements in Puzzles and Puzzle Rush Survival. I never imagined that this lighthearted conversation would take such a sharp turn.

Instead of discussing the honorary title, the focus suddenly shifted to my Rated Puzzles history—specifically, a handful of sessions from December 2024 where it appeared that I had completed 87 puzzles in 0:00. Now, let’s be real—why would I even bother doing that when I was already sitting at the puzzle rating cap of 65,535? It made no sense.

Despite this, the situation escalated, and some outside help from my support person led to direct emails with Erik. Eventually, Erik proposed a solution: I could regain access to my account if I recorded a video of myself solving puzzles. However, due to increased muscle tone (because of my Cerebral Palsy) from personal circumstances over the past two years, this wasn't a viable option for me.

Then, on Thursday, February 20th, out of the blue, I received an email from the Fair Play team saying that my account had been reinstated. But there was a catch—I was now hidden from all the leaderboards I once dominated: Puzzle Rush Survival, Rated Puzzles, and Lessons. I was (and still am) #1 globally, but now it’s as if I never existed on those boards unless people visit my profile.

So, what changed? I have no idea. But what I do know is… I AM BACK!

Interestingly, Chess.com is planning to change the leaderboards soon so that only titled players appear on them. This could have played a role in their decision. Whatever the case, it’s been a wild ride, and I’m just glad to have my account back. Let’s see what the future holds!