Why is my rating so low

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the_real_greco

Yeah, I'm only 1600, but with your strength I could probably be helpful looking over a game if you want to send one my way.

Also, for anyone who says speed chess does nothing, it's not that simple. I'm averaging like 0.03 Elo gained per 3|0 game played (just over 10,000 of them). So- OK. That's 44 hours of chess, which is a lot. Probably could have spent that time in a better way if improving were my only goal. You do get better by playing 3|0 (probably not much faster than that), but you won't see results in 10 games, 100 games, 500 games. It takes literally thousands.

the_real_greco

@GothicChessInventor

There's knowing what to do and not do, and there's putting it into practice. Those points you made are obvious, but it's not as if a total novice could read them and seamlessly incorporate them into his play.

There's something to be said for playing thousands of games, over and over, and making mistakes over and over, until eventually you can actually use what you know.

lostpawn247
the_real_greco wrote:

@GothicChessInventor

There's knowing what to do and not do, and there's putting it into practice. Those points you made are obvious, but it's not as if a total novice could read them and seamlessly incorporate them into his play.

There's something to be said for playing thousands of games, over and over, and making mistakes over and over, until eventually you can actually use what you know.

This sounds like the definition of insanity.

blueemu

*shrug*

I got reasonably good at chess by losing thousands of games. It worked for me.

kthprog
blueemu wrote:

*shrug*

I got reasonably good at chess by losing thousands of games. It worked for me.

It hasn't worked for me here. You get stuck at a certain level because you are only playing players at your own level and you learn nothing new. I guess everyone is different, but for me I think a combination of fast and slow games, and *especially* reviewing your mistakes can help.

llamonade

Well sure, mistakes don't automatically make you better. In between games you have to think about what caused you to make the mistake and/or how you're going to try and fix it for the future.

Sometimes the mistake comes from something internal (maybe you play too fast or slow)
Sometimes the mistake comes from a lack of knowledge (so you study that area)

Or a combination. But always you have to make adjustments for the future.

eric0022
GothicChessInventor wrote:
the_real_greco wrote:

@GothicChessInventor

There's knowing what to do and not do, and there's putting it into practice. Those points you made are obvious, but it's not as if a total novice could read them and seamlessly incorporate them into his play.

There's something to be said for playing thousands of games, over and over, and making mistakes over and over, until eventually you can actually use what you know.

I can hit myself on the foot with a hammer and know not to do that again.

It's easy to learn what not to do.

If it takes thousands of hammer strikes to realize this, you're doing it wrong.

 

It depends; my personal view is different. I am glad to have been the victim of many checkmates and many hanging pieces over thousands of games.

 

Surely you have also gained experiences from your losses (everyone also has losses, right?)

eric0022
llamonade wrote:

Well sure, mistakes don't automatically make you better. In between games you have to think about what caused you to make the mistake and/or how you're going to try and fix it for the future.

Sometimes the mistake comes from something internal (maybe you play too fast or slow)
Sometimes the mistake comes from a lack of knowledge (so you study that area)

Or a combination. But always you have to make adjustments for the future.

 

It's a start to an improvement to game play though. I have been shredded many times in the past to players of all levels.

eric0022
lostpawn247 wrote:
the_real_greco wrote:

@GothicChessInventor

There's knowing what to do and not do, and there's putting it into practice. Those points you made are obvious, but it's not as if a total novice could read them and seamlessly incorporate them into his play.

There's something to be said for playing thousands of games, over and over, and making mistakes over and over, until eventually you can actually use what you know.

This sounds like the definition of insanity.

 

I am insane.

the_real_greco

Yes. I, like everyone else here, am perfectly rational, possess a perfect memory, and only need to be told things once.

When someone told me to get all my pieces out early, castle, and never hang a piece, I didn't need to be told twice. I did it from my first game ever, and have done it in each and every of the 10,000 games since. I have also never failed to notice a tactic more than once, because having seen it, I know how to use or avoid it forever.

The concept of repetitive practice is ridiculous. Just tell me how calculus works, and I will be better than Newton.

Oh wait. That's not how anyone works.

 

eric0022
the_real_greco wrote:

Yes. I, like everyone else here, am perfectly rational, possess a perfect memory, and only need to be told things once.

When someone told me to get all my pieces out early, castle, and never hang a piece, I didn't need to be told twice. I did it from my first game ever, and have done it in each and every of the 10,000 games since. I have also never failed to notice a tactic more than once, because having seen it, I know how to use or avoid it forever.

The concept of repetitive practice is ridiculous. Just tell me how calculus works, and I will be better than Newton.

Oh wait. That's not how anyone works.

 

 

The 21st-century Newton has arrived.

eric0022
kthprog wrote:
blueemu wrote:

*shrug*

I got reasonably good at chess by losing thousands of games. It worked for me.

It hasn't worked for me here. You get stuck at a certain level because you are only playing players at your own level and you learn nothing new. I guess everyone is different, but for me I think a combination of fast and slow games, and *especially* reviewing your mistakes can help.

 

In your case you can play longer controls and throw in some blitz or bullet games for the rush.

Lion_XVI
the_real_greco wrote:

Yes. I, like everyone else here, am perfectly rational, possess a perfect memory, and only need to be told things once.

When someone told me to get all my pieces out early, castle, and never hang a piece, I didn't need to be told twice. I did it from my first game ever, and have done it in each and every of the 10,000 games since. I have also never failed to notice a tactic more than once, because having seen it, I know how to use or avoid it forever.

The concept of repetitive practice is ridiculous. Just tell me how calculus works, and I will be better than Newton.

Oh wait. That's not how anyone works.

 

Well play 5min or longer then... thousands of game played super fast will not improve much... thousands of game at good tempo, with analysis, will.

Anyway, Greco never played blitz...

the_real_greco

As Hikaru has said on his stream many times, when someone asks him how to improve: "Solve tactics and play a million blitz games."

Depending on who you are, I'm sure the optimal TC to play varies. 1+0 seems too fast for everyone, and 60|60 you're certainly wasting your time. I can do 3|0 and improve (my rating history backs that up). Maybe you need slightly longer, but "blitz games don't help" is patently false.

I don't know who these people are that so confidently give advice in absolutes, but maybe that's the nature of these forums.

hikarunaku

Fastest way to improve is to solve thousands of tactics and going over master games. 

eric0022
hikarunaku wrote:

Fastest way to improve is to solve thousands of tactics and going over master games. 

 

And I thought your quote will be: "Solve tactics and play a million blitz games".

the_real_greco

See, if his name were the_real_hikaru, you could trust him. That's how you know I'm actually Greco.

hikarunaku

You don't have to trust me. You can try for yourself. 

hikarunaku
eric0022 wrote:
hikarunaku wrote:

Fastest way to improve is to solve thousands of tactics and going over master games. 

 

And I thought your quote will be: "Solve tactics and play a million blitz games".

Million blitz games is surely not the fastest way to improve. Anyone who says that is misguiding people. 

Lion_XVI

Oh, so you know better than Hikaru...

Maybe there is no easy answer... maybe different answer for different person?

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