The Controversial Truth Behind Your Rating
Many people think your rating is a number representing your skill in the game of chess. What those people think is wrong and in this blog post I will prove my statement to be true.
The average person thinks; "Hey, they have a low rating! I am going to crush them!" but little do they put into consideration how good their opponent really is. I recently played a 1300 OTB with my rating being 798 OTB. I was terrified and convinced I was going to lose, but when I actually got to the game, that's the first time the idea of rating just being a number struck my mind. I was winning on time and started to beat the 1300, they were up a queen since they trapped mine, but I was in a position where if my opponent didn't check me i'd be able to mate them. But eventually when my opponent had ONE second on the clock I got overconfident. I screwed up and did an illegal move which added 2 mins to my opponents clock giving them enough time to think to mate me. But the fact I got so close to beating an 1300 was a proud moment for me and helped me realize the topic of this post.
Another thing that contributed to my belief was when I defeated my friend in a chess game when he claimed that he was trying. I played my friend (keep in mind I am rated 798 OTB) rated 1000 OTB (1500 chess.com) one day and he claimed he was going to play a blitz game and later a rapid game with me where he would try and I accepted. I ended up beating him with a pretty big rating difference, even though he mostly clobbers me I know I can still beat him sometimes.
This was one of the games that I had with my friend he may or may not have been trying for this one or the next one.
Even though to me it is unknown if he was trying, all I know is that he is a really great player and I won the battle, but not the war.
I usually do not beat my friend but that fact I can beat someone with a significantly higher rating than me even if it isn't that often, can prove that you could beat a super GM or someone with a higher rating than you.
All of this so far proves that the rating is just a figment of the human mind classifying different people in different categories based on "Skill". The one thing I've learned about chess in my time of playing is that it isn't a game of luck, ratings and somewhat skill. What I really think chess is about is having fun and finding the right things at the right time, looking far ahead of your opponent to set a plan or trap. Chess is about strategic thinking, really making your brain work. I'm not saying chess isn't about skill, i'm trying to say chess is many things, but not luck and numbers.
Basically, I am saying that your rating is not what describes how you play. The only thing that can "describe" how you can play is you. I am also not saying that you should not improve your rating, which you should! I am saying don't let yourself and your rating get inside in your own head.
