Stuck at the 700-900 range for a while now. Why?!

My peak rating was 899 and that was when I felt like I could crack 1000 in a month or two. But after that, my rating just kept dropping. I made silly mistakes, and ended up losing material, getting forked by trappy openings etc. I recently almost fell below 700. But I've started climbing up the ladder again. I'm now rated 755 and my biggest wish for these next few months is to reach 1000. Does anyone have any tips on how to escape the elo plateau?

More tactics puzzles in order to better find the tactics available for you and to see the tactics your opponent will have available if you play a certain move or don't prevent them.

Analyse after every game and try to learn from your mistakes.

Study annotated master games and endgames.

Do NOT play more than a few games per day. For example you have played 11 games today. I would without a doubt say that is too much. If you want to improve as fast as possible, you will need to spend more time (or at least the same amount of time) analyzing and studying and doing tactics puzzles than playing. If you play 11 games a day, there really is not enough time or you will be too tired to actually learn anything.

So the last tip is quality over quantity. Less games, with longer time controls and more studying, analyzing etc.

you fell for forks and such so what youre lacking is board vision go watch some danial naridotsky speedruns do some puzzles maybe some basic endgames and positonal 15 plus 10 or 30 min helps to prevent blunders in one

In my opinion people seem to seriously misunderstand ELO rating.

The system is an attempt to measure something we don't actually have the appropriate tools for since it's abstract, a reflection of something innermost to you.

While technically it's true that if you kept playing and winning your rating will rise, that's the wrong way to perceive the climb. We set these arbitrary goals of gaining X rating in Y timeframe, i don't think i've ever heard anybody say, " I really want to nail winning rook endgames by next week" or "I'd lover to improve my accuracy on puzzles involving forks or loose pieces"

We're humans and love status, the majority of us just play play play because we want that number to rise so we feel good. But 99% of us don't want to dig deeper and get our hands dirty.

Each strategic concept or tactic mastered is equivalent to a certain rating rise, it isn't immediate like winning a game gives rating but it's happening, in the background. Over time these ideas begin to be clearly understood and it compounds over time resulting in big rating increases, and that applies to how you get good at anything really.

anyway this is just something i've noticed over time. My advice is to focus less on the number itself and more on what's underpinning that number. Openings, tactics, solve puzzles, master positional understanding and strategic concepts. The rating will rise by itself.

Hello, @Grandeurose. I'm around the same rating as you. I have made my elo from 400 to 950 in under a month. The thing I did was play 3 games only every day. It helps my mind calculate best because if we overdo our mind, we'll get tired which we will not get the best in our games. So my point is, if you want to level you fast, you must play 3 games every day but you must play them in a positive attitude. 💯💯😊

let me know if you want a coach. i will help. 8$ for a 2 hours class

If you binge play you'll get mentally tired and tilt. Try limiting to 3-5x a day.

Source: I binge play and tilt all the time lol

Improving Your Chess - Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/improving-your-chess-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

the "why" became "why?!" since its a dubious move

just listen to the other comments here i just wanted to say that cause funny

Elo...

https://www.chess.com/terms/elo-rating-chess

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system

I started chess last October, and my rating was 200. I played a lot of puzzles and you should play lots of puzzles. Don't play more than 3 games a day. I tried to follow this plan, and reached 1150 now. So you shouldn't play lots of chess, only 3 games a day, play lots of puzzles, don't worry about openings, try not to blunder pieces, or even pawns. Losing 1 pawn may look like such a small thing, but it is very important because that pawn could become a queen. Daniel Naroditsky's speedruns could also be helpful as well.

Improving at chess is usually not easy. If you can afford few lessons, I would advise getting a coach. I can teach you how to think during the chess game. After that, your progress is inevitable.

If you can't afford any lessons, here is the excerpt from very good article on how to improve:

Play a lot, analyze your games, and primarily study tactics. Your knowledge of openings, endgame, middlegame, etc. will come from analyzing your games and going over grandmaster games. Only study one of those specific topics if it is clear you are specifically losing because of that topic.

Source: https://www.gautamnarula.com/how-to-get-good-at-chess-fast/

Here is the great YT series from my channel to learn from as well: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUrgfsyInqNa1S4i8DsGJwzx1Uhn2AqlT

Good luck either way!

if what youre saying is true thats one hell of a deal

yeah

GL in our daily game

gl

This is common. It seems that the learning process goes in cycles like this for all rating levels. We gain rating, then drop, then gain, then drop and lots of ups and downs. It always seems like right when I'm close to a new milestone, then my rating crashes (sometimes multiple times) and takes a slow grind back up.

If you like, we can play some unrated live chess sometime if you want some advice more specific to your game. If there is anything major holding you back, then I might be able to pick up on it. However, what you describe in your post just sounds normal to me. There is a reason most people spend many years working on their chess and many people keep this hobby for a lifetime.

FYI, the rating distribution has changed drastically in the last 5 years or so. The average rapid used to be around 1100, but now it is around 650.

Thanks for all the responses! Based on what you all have said, I'll limit my games to 3-4 per day and focus more on actually studying instead of just playing.

Firstly, learn how to use the quote button correctly. You add your own comments into the quotes.

Secondly, what is your problem with me? Why do you keep coming to all my comments with such a negative attitude? Just stop. You are being annoying.

And what I said is not a lie. Tactics are very very important. I did not even say chess is 99 % tactics by the way. That is just you putting words in my mouth.

And finally, yes I get "stuck" in my rating climb sometimes for a while, but I have improved a lot since I started and I am sure I will eventually climb in rating again. And also, you are rated even lower than me.