At 2000 level even, two of my openings have served me well and carried me to a peak rating before I tilted 20-30 points. both are openings that I extensively analysed before using and also have good results in OTB.
I haven't been 800 rated for almost a year and now I'm stuck at 800. What happened?
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12
Mar 11, 2026
0
#25
mikewier wrote:
Your peak rating was 1036 and then you dropped back into the 800s. Ratings vary widely for rapid and blitz, with vacillations of 150-200 points common. The most likely explanation is not tilt. It is more likely that your true skill level is 850 and that the peak rating was an overrating.
you say that you have watched many videos. But your games dont show much chess understanding. In one loss, you played . . . f5 on move 2. In another loss, you spent 5 seconds and hung a Rook. In another loss, you were ahead a Rook in an ending and allowed your opponent to Queen a pawn These errors are so basic that I would say that your 800 rating is about right.
Why not spend some time with a classic instruction book. A week with Reinfeld’s Complete Chess Course or Euwe’s Chess Master versus Chess Amateur would be more helpful than all that you have done so far.
I don't think 850 is my true rating. I was consistently between 900-1000 for 5 months before this happened.
Mar 12, 2026
0
#26
That is called regression to the mean in statistics. It’s why rookies often fail to repeat a stellar first season. I still think it’s most likely tilt though.
Mar 13, 2026
0
#27
jonahwalkermusic wrote:
mikewier wrote:
Your peak rating was 1036 and then you dropped back into the 800s. Ratings vary widely for rapid and blitz, with vacillations of 150-200 points common. The most likely explanation is not tilt. It is more likely that your true skill level is 850 and that the peak rating was an overrating.
you say that you have watched many videos. But your games dont show much chess understanding. In one loss, you played . . . f5 on move 2. In another loss, you spent 5 seconds and hung a Rook. In another loss, you were ahead a Rook in an ending and allowed your opponent to Queen a pawn These errors are so basic that I would say that your 800 rating is about right.
Why not spend some time with a classic instruction book. A week with Reinfeld’s Complete Chess Course or Euwe’s Chess Master versus Chess Amateur would be more helpful than all that you have done so far.
I don't think 850 is my true rating. I was consistently between 900-1000 for 5 months before this happened.
"True" rating is always in flux and has to do with skill relative to your opponents (not static!) as well as some randomness coming from daily form, pairing luck, etc... To worry about whether a number is "right" is not the way to get your rating up - it is via building skill. In this thread, there have been given quite a few tips on how to improve (many suggestions going into similar directions). Choosing some of them and implementing them will help
Your peak rating was 1036 and then you dropped back into the 800s. Ratings vary widely for rapid and blitz, with vacillations of 150-200 points common. The most likely explanation is not tilt. It is more likely that your true skill level is 850 and that the peak rating was an overrating.
you say that you have watched many videos. But your games dont show much chess understanding. In one loss, you played . . . f5 on move 2. In another loss, you spent 5 seconds and hung a Rook. In another loss, you were ahead a Rook in an ending and allowed your opponent to Queen a pawn These errors are so basic that I would say that your 800 rating is about right.
Why not spend some time with a classic instruction book. A week with Reinfeld’s Complete Chess Course or Euwe’s Chess Master versus Chess Amateur would be more helpful than all that you have done so far.