Why did I suddenly start getting worse?! Anyone else had this?

Age could be a factor. Many of my Chess friends in my Chess club seem to refuse to acknowledge this sad fact of life that especially after age 45, for most people, playing strength goes downhill due to the older brain not being able to work as well as it used to. The knowledge is still there but the focus requiring extreme concentration is simply not as sharp as it once was. My apologies if you are a young man. In that case, the other commentators comments may be more applicable to your situation.

I was going to argue strongly that you are completely wrong about everything you said, but now I have kind of forgotten what the point of my argument was.

I am well over 45 and and am completely able to concentrate on what I am doing most of the time, but then, having said that, can you remind me what we are arguing about again?

Oh yeah, and my game has ups and downs but that generally as far more to do with whether I actually have serious other stuff to deal with in my life.  Then I don't play quite so well.  When I am care free and have no serious troubles (oh yeah, like a lot of young people) my concentration on chess is sooo much better.

hahahahahahahaha

     Fast time controls are ok for people who already know how to play well to have a bit of fun while not taking the games too seriously. Take time in games with longer time controls to really learn how to analyze positions and calculate variations and your ratings in all types of chess will improve. Mastering endgame technique is also highly important, but you learn nothing about it while trying to beat the clock in speed games.

Not that I was ever that great at chess, but if you look in my profile, you will see that I(in the middle) had a couple of games won. Today I only won one game and lost to people below my ranking a lot. You can see that my score is really really really bad.

Wow, what a response guys!  Special thanks re; technical advice to IMBacon, Ninjaswat and DigitalWarfare. . .  and special thanks re; headspace advice to Garbagem8, Kingattacker3, and GBTGBA. 

I will try and put all this into practice, although a frequent piece of advice does seem to be "Don't keep playing speed chess or your rating will tank!", but I don't have much time to commit to longer games or any great amount of study - I play chess to chill, so I am not actually going to be too upset if my ranking tanks, it was more curiosity than complaint!

It just seemed so strange - I started off playing with no real plan at all, just reflex and instinct, and I was consistently winning. . . then, one day, it turned on a sixpence and started nosediving - same brain, far worse outcomes.  Odd.

Ok, for some reason, the forum didn't show me all responses immediately, special extra thanks re; tactics to Tobi-01 for their usefully-brutal honesty, and all the others for mental attitude advice!

Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a chess coach and chess YouTuber based in California: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5SPSG_sWSYPjqJYMNwL_Q

Here's some tips for you:

-If you are serious about chess, I highly recommend you hiring a chess coach to help you.  

-Also consider all checks and captures on your side and also your opponent’s side. Always as, “If I move here, where is my opponent going to move?”

I hope that this helps.  

To those who got a bit offended by my remarks on age or felt that I did not know what I was talking about, I was certainly not wanting to hurt anybody's feelings. I was just bringing up a phenomenon that neurologists have observed in people as they age whether they play Chess or not. Most of the world`s top players in Chess are fairly young men. Sure, there are the famous statistical "outliers" that seem to defy the odds and there everyday guys and/or their acquaintances who may fit the bill on this. I am 73 and have been in organized Chess for most of my life as a player, tournament director, kids instructor and a Chess club president. During this time I have personally seen many players who would have dropped past their USCF rating floor if it were allowed to do so. By their own admission, their increasing losses (and consequent rating decline) was due to mental fatigue during OTB games. Most of these contests were with time controls of G/100 at my club and other outside tournaments and in weekend events with time controls of G/45. These gentlemen tended to do much better with the slower controls than with the faster controls. Of course, there can be other factors at play as to why one`s play "deteriorates" over time. Again I must compliment most of the folks who have offered advice to the original poster as increasing age may not be a factor in his case at all. He may just be facing stronger competition as he gets better and now has "hit a wall" (or ceiling if you prefer) and now either has to work harder and/or increase his knowledge of the game.

On a personal note, my highest USCF rating was 1764. That was about 45 years ago. I then dropped to the 1600`s and maintained that for a little while. I then crashed down to my rating floor of 1500 and then a few years later decided to pretty much retire from OTB Chess after losing game after game to guys rated 1200-1300 in the early rounds of Swiss events at my club. I do play correspondence Chess in USCF and ICCF tournaments and I participate in vote Chess on this site. The point of all this is that, for me, getting older has diminished my depth of focus and concentration although I, ironically, know more about Chess than years ago! As far as blitz Chess goes, I really suck at that. Then again, I was never that good at that form of Chess to begin with!

I hear ya....My serious chess study and play ended a couple years ago.  Just did not want to put in the grind of preparing, and at 58 trying to maintain.  Its kinds like body building.  No matter how much you try after a certain age.  Gravity wins.  My study now is a gymnasium of the mind.  just to keep myself young and flexible.  I do plan on playing in an OTB tournament in October.  I have no illusions of doing well, finishing in the money, raising my rating.  Im going to support the tournament, the couple that run it, to see friends, and exercise the mind.  Oh yea...and the buffet.

Maybe because the games lack calculations and combinations.

I had this experience when I first started chess I used to be very insecure but I practiced, I am still improving my game. (I have the same insecurities)

You shouldn't expect yourself to get better, or to not get worse playing speed chess

When I play speed chess I have a much higher rating than when I play standard ten minute games, if you stick to the ten minute games I bet your rating will stabilize.

sounds like me at the 1000 barrier

play no bullet

play some blitz(2-3 per day) to improve pattern recognition

play 1-2 rapid games, rest between the rapid games.

at least 5 puzzle per day

never play variants like 3-check or King of the hill since that kills pattern recognition

always use increment

these are my suggestions

You dont think 2-3 blitz games are to much? some say dont plat at all, and i feel like if if play that plus the rapid games then i might get tired for the rapid games

Try to play 30 mins

You should come visit my chess forum, it gives good advice on how to push rating. Link

Tips:                                watch this chess youtuber                                                                                                                     do as many puzzles as you can on chess.com or on lichess

analyze your games

watch this chess youtuber

Every single player has peaks and craters.

EVERY single player.

Even the greats.

Take a few days off/completely away from chess, then come back, refreshed.