From 1418 to 1896 in 5 Months — And My Climb to 2100 By December

As 2025 began, I had a clear goal: get serious about chess. I started at 1418 Rapid on Chess.com and by May 21st, I hit 1896! That’s an increase of 478 points in less than five months—not because of luck, but because I treated improvement like a full-time job.

Here’s exactly what I did to get here—and what I’m doing next to hit 2100 by the end of the year.

Repetition Builds Precision: The Woodpecker Method

I committed to finishing the Woodpecker Method. Thousands of tactics, spaced repetition, no shortcuts. I didn’t just solve puzzles—I drilled the same ones again and again until I saw the patterns instantly. This gave me tactical speed and confidence in critical moments.

Endgames Aren’t Optional: “100 Endgames You Must Know”

I completed de la Villa’s classic endgame book from start to finish. I didn’t skip any chapters. I set up positions on a board, visualized winning techniques, and practiced them blindfolded when possible. Now, I know how to win Lucena and Philidor positions—not just hope I’ll remember.

Opening Repertoires That Fit Me

• With White, I studied GingerGM’s Jobava London course. It gave me aggressive positions and dynamic early middlegames. I used to wing it—now I’m actually prepared.

• With Black, I adopted ChessMood’s 1...e6 universal repertoire, which gave me coherent responses against 1.e4, 1.d4, and other openings. It reduced guesswork and freed up time for studying deeper plans.

I internalized key plans, ideas, and move orders—not just the first 10 moves.

Real Sparring: Weekly Coaching Battles

I spar regularly with my coach, a 2237 FIDE-rated player. These weren’t casual games. He punished every lazy move, tested my calculation, and asked why behind every decision. Post-game feedback became a mini lesson in itself. I started seeing how strong players think, not just what they play.

Weekly OTB Play

Every week, I played at least one over-the-board classical game. I learned to manage my nerves, control the clock, and stay alert in long, grinding positions. There’s no “undo” button OTB—and that pressure improved my focus online too.

Mental Reps at Work: Agadmator Annotations + Visualization

While at work, I often listened to Agadmator’s game annotations. His calm, clear explanations made complex games accessible and engaging. While listening, I mentally played out the positions—calculating moves and imagining plans in my head. This daily mental exercise sharpened my visualization and helped me develop deeper board awareness.

The 2100 Plan

Now, the climb gets tougher—but I’m ready.

• More annotated master games, especially classical players like Karpov and Smyslov

• Targeted tournament prep—no more general training

• Harder positions, deeper analysis—no shortcuts

• Endgames Endgames Endgames
  
  If the first five months were about building weapons, the next seven are about mastering when and how to use them. 2100 is the next mountain. I’m climbing.