Catapult to 1642: Quads, Tunnelvision, and a Month That Finally Clicked

January wasn’t just a good month it was the month where everything stopped moving sideways. After two years of grinding, tinkering, studying, and trying to figure out what kind of chess player I actually am, things finally aligned. In the span of four days, I posted two rating peaks and landed at 1642 USCF classical, the highest number I’ve ever seen next to my name.

This run wasn’t an accident. It came from a new training structure, some lifestyle fine-tuning, and two tournaments; a Tuesday Night Quad Night and Tunnelvision XL, that showed me what momentum really feels like.

But before we get into the moves, there’s one personal milestone worth mentioning: I’m now a FIDE National Arbiter. It’s a small line in the larger story, but for someone who directs as many events as I play, it matters.

Let’s rewind to the start of the week.

Training: The Foundation That Made the Results Possible

Coaching with FM Mees van Osch

Most of my improvement this winter comes from work with FM Mees van Osch. Our lessons have shifted me away from “find the tactic and hope it works” toward actually understanding the structures I’m playing. The level of nuance he demands even in quiet positions has forced me to slow down and play real chess.

3,000+ puzzles this month

I leaned heavily into puzzles in January. More than 3,000 of them. Not to chase a streak, but to rebuild my calculation discipline & pattern recognition. It’s become a daily ritual, and it’s clear that the investment paid off.

Playing again — thanks to Chessiverse

For most of 2025, I didn’t play online except for the occasional game here and there. Tournaments were the only real games I saw.

This month? Completely different.

I averaged about four games a day on Chessiverse, and for the first time in years, I wasn’t tilting. Clean games, clear decisions, and emotional stability. That alone might be the biggest improvement of the month.

An opening philosophy shift

I’ve drifted away from shaky gambits and “mysterious compensation” lines where I don’t fully understand the ideas. When I play logical, principled chess, my intuition carries me in ways sharp theory never did. It shows in the results.

Lifestyle tweaks

Nothing fancy:

• A daily omega-fatty-acid vitamin (a little nootropic help for the brain).

• Intentional caffeine use, only when needed, because I’m sensitive to it.

• Minor improvements to diet and water intake.

None of these change your rating overnight, but combined with everything else, they added stability to my decision-making.

With all that in the background, it was time to test myself.

Tuesday Night Quad Night: The Spark (3–0)

Four days before Tunnelvision, the Columbia Chess Club hosted a Quad Night. I entered at 1535 and left at 1592, a new peak. The results came from consistent, no-nonsense chess.

Round 1 — vs. Paul Potylicki (Win, Black)

Paul and I are stylistic opposites: he calculates deeply and burns time; I trust my intuition and move on. In a G25+5 classical game, that contrast matters.

I played solid, stuck to principles, and let the clock become part of the position. Once the center opened and his time ran low, the game swung in my direction. Eventually he flagged in a losing position.

Round 2 — vs. Aarush Panda (Win, Black)

I face Aarush often, so seeing him play the Colle-Zukertort was a surprise. He normally reaches for the Italian with Ng5.

I kept his dark-squared bishop under control, contested the center, and prevented the kingside buildup he wanted. We both got low on time, but my passed pawn eventually became the star — promoting and then picking up a knight via absolute pin.

Round 3 — vs. Oliver Su (Win, White)

Oliver is young, ambitious, and improving quickly. This game doesn’t reflect his real strength — he’s going to grow into a tough opponent.

A tactical sequence led to a material advantage, and I converted cleanly. Three wins, no drama.

Quad Night ended with a perfect score and a surge of confidence. But the real test was coming.

Tunnelvision XL: Four Days Later, Everything Comes Together

Tunnelvision is the Columbia Chess Club’s flagship monthly event. It draws serious players, and the pressure is always real. I entered at 1458 (new month, new rating period) and left with another peak — the road to 1642 ran straight through these games.

Round 1 — vs. Simon Kubynski (Win, White)

Simon is rated 1742 and plays solid, classical chess.

I returned to an old friend — the Panov Attack — but by move 5, I was out of theory and simply playing principled moves. After the game, Simon said I gave off a “confident air,” as if I knew exactly what I was doing.

Between us, I didn’t.

Late in the game, my d-pawn became a monster, and Simon had to give up a piece to stop it. The final position was decided in mutual time trouble, with spectators watching as the last game of the round finished.

Round 2 — vs. Thomas Kemp Jr. (Loss, Black)

Thomas and I play frequently, and he’s been one of the most improved players at the club. This game followed that pattern.

I didn’t love my position out of the opening, but after he gave up his dark-squared bishop, I felt I’d equalized. When I missed 34.Bf7, the position collapsed quickly. And his 39.Bc6!! was a hammer — accurate, ruthless, and instructive.

Round 3 — vs. Colin Potts (Loss, White)

Colin played a model game.

I held my own early, but when he won a pawn in the middlegame, the rest felt inevitable. His technique in the ending was clean. This is the kind of game that shows you the next level.

Round 4 — vs. Paul Copeland (Win, Black)

Paul started the day as one of the top seeds but wasn’t having the event he wanted. Still, he’s resilient and dangerous.

He chose the Jobava London, a departure from his usual Réti setups. It took me a couple of minutes to orient myself, but once I chose a plan, I committed fully.

Time pressure returned — I was under a minute for the last dozen moves. But that’s where intuition helped:
32…Bxh2+ came as an intermezzo before cleaning up the center. Paul believed he could trap my bishop with g3, but he played the sequence too fast. Classical chess punished blitz habits, and I finished with a clean checkmate.

And with that game, I completed the event with a respectable 2/4 against much stronger opposition.

A Special Moment: IM Danny Rensch Visits Tunnelvision

Since this is a Chess.com blog, it’s worth highlighting that IM Danny Rensch, Chess.com’s Chief Chess Officer, visited the Columbia Chess Club at the end of Tunnelvision.

He hosted a signing for his new book Dark Squares, held a Q&A session, and even played a blitz simul. The club was buzzing it felt like something special, a reminder that local chess communities matter and that people notice when they grow.

Peak of 1642 and What Comes Next

After two events in one week, I reached 1642, my highest rating ever. More importantly, I felt like the number was earned. Not luck, not a soft pairing, not a fluke  but the result of consistent study, improved habits, and a clearer understanding of who I am as a chess player.

Next goal: 1700.
Long-term goal: 2200.

But for now, it’s enough to appreciate the progress and recognize that momentum is real and worth protecting. The work continues. The climb continues. And the best chess I’ve ever played still feels like it’s ahead of me.