USCF Rated Quad
One of the local clubs in my area does monthly USCF-rated events. They said normally around 8–10 people show up. Today, due to some weather concerns. Only 4 people showed up, so we did a QUAD, just a small round-robin event, that was rated. My current USCF rating is provisional (4 games) from when I was in high school, almost 20 years ago now, and the opponents are listed at the rating the tournament software showed. I believe they might be slightly different from what was said. As I think two of them have played in other rated events since the shown ratings were reported. It was 25 minutes with a 5-second delay; notation was required. I lost all three games, but it was a good learning experience. I also know I could have done better. I went over one of the games with a retired 1800-rated USCF player, and we started from where my blunder was. I was able to get the better of him in that game. I will say I am still proud of these games, as they highlight where I need to work, and I was able to hold my own pretty well vs. some strong players.
Game 1 was against a 1709 player. He played a reti opening, I went to the Dutch Defense, as it's the best line I have learned to some extent vs that opening.
Move 20 here is really where I felt things slipping and that is where game review agrees. going from +0.1 to +0.7 I had actually marked my move 21 ... b6 as a blunder before reviewing the game with stockfish, becuase I immediately noticed he could capture my bishop, ending up with 2 peices for his rook. Apparently Game Review only marks it as a mistake.
Game 2 this is the game I felt I had the best chance I knew Rb1 was a blunder the second I made it, and I saw the correct line before making the blunder, then I guess I had a brain fart, and made the blunder. I went back over the game, at a different local chess club, with a retired peak 1800 player, and was able to get the better of him after going over it. In game review the game was basically even +0.3 until that blunder. 12 exd exd 13 cxd. In the review game, I actually went with the line 12 cxd but in this situation that move order isn't important.
Finally, the highest-rated player in another scicilian. Apparently in this game I was holding my own even up to the queen trade; it is after that I made an error by taking d5, an earlier mistake Qd2. I apparently should have just waited and pushed my pawn. After I allowed connected passed pawns after Nxe6 fxe6, the game was over.
The main take away from this is I do need to work a lot my middle game, and do more work on end games as well. From the game review I feel confident moving forward that I can go higher. here on chess.com and obviously wiht my USCF rating. My primary goal of going to rated events is to get an actual USCF rating, instead of just my current provisional rating from when I was in Highschool. With obviously plans to learn a long the way.
Since notation is required I will continue to put my OTB rated games through game review and add them to this library. https://www.chess.com/c/2HSkAQtP8
I will continue to go to the rated events the club hosts every month, schedule permitting. As well as try and play in other rated events near me. The goal is to at least hit my 26 games for official USCF rating, and to learn and improve along the way.
