La verdad es que no eres el único esa crisis de jugador intermedio y es curioso que también aplica en otras actividades competitivas, no solo ajedrez. Es como si de repente todos jugaran con precisión de "maestro" (Y para los desconfiados, piensan que hace trampa), pero en realidad es una mezcla: a ese nivel ya hay menos errores grandes, la gente estudia más teoría, más táctica, y, además, los emparejamientos son más irregulares (a veces te toca alguien que estuvo 1700 y está volviendo después de una mala racha). También influye que la varianza se nota más: un rival puede tener un día inspirado y parecer un monstruo que juega como un 1900, cosa que también se ve en elos inferiores cuando los jugadores estan motivados.
Lo importante es no frustrarse; enfócate en entender tus errores y mejorar poco a poco. Pasar de 1500 para 1600 suele ser más cuestión de consistencia y control emocional que de teoria pura o tener exp de calle en el ajedrez.
Ok let's go in for another rant. Feel free to click this off whenever. What the heck is wrong with the 1500 elo range? I'm talking specifically in the rapid format, although I'm fairly certain similar phenomenon happen in blitz and maybe even bullet too. My path from 1000 to 1500 was actually relatively smooth, and while there were some pretty frustrating moments and tilts, overall it seems like a normal climb up the lower intermediate rating ladder. By playing games, and maybe watching some Gotham videos and doing chess.com and lichess puzzles, I was able to climb from 1000 to 1500 fairly quickly. However, once I reached the mid 1500s all hell broke loose. Seriously wtf is wrong with 1500 elo chess players? There are people outplaying you with 91.5% accuracy in a 35 move game even though you didn't even blunder:
Or there are people who, while not playing perfectly like their surname is fish, gets into crazy tactical positions where they calculate several moves ahead and always prevail. There's just too many of the latter case so I won't show them here, feel free to go to my profile and see some lower accuracy games and you'll probably find one.
Formerly I believed 1500 was the "higher lower intermediate" or just intermediate, but honestly some opponents play well above their level in accuracy and tactical brilliancy, so much more so than anything I've seen before. The difference is so great that even if I'm slightly stronger than I am now, I'm probably still not beating those monstrosities. My theory is that either there's a perpetual, self-reinforcing loop of underrating occurring at this level, or somehow cheaters max out at the lower intermediate range. I have some doubts about the latter though, since 1] Cheaters usually cheat either for clout or ego maxxing, but being 1500 chess.com rapid doesn't exactly achieve that, and 2] sometimes they don't play high accuracy whole game, but have insane tactical foresight or endgame skills that no ordinary 1500 would have.
So my question is, what's wrong with 1500 chess.com rapid? Why are they exceptionally strong compared to 1400s, for example? Usually a 100 elo difference is significant but not invincible, and it is not exactly a major upset to see someone rated 100 lower beating their opponent. However it is almost impossible for 1400s to win against these monstrous 1500s. I'm also curious if there are other roadblocks along the elo ladder, and specifically at what rating? for those rated higher than me and gone through this experience, share it in the comments below. I would also like to know how you got past this monstrous 1500 "gate of hell" level? Finally, anyone willing to help me out, in particular improving to 1600, I would be very grateful. Anyway for those of you who read this far, thanks for reading, have a good day, peace.