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I just beat a 1900! Interesting tactics, discovered checkmate

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The best I've ever had when I was around 1300 was someone in the 1600s who probably was tilted and aborted too many games and I beat them. It is an accomplishment and at this level, I don't see someone a few hundred points above me as significantly better than me not until I reach 2000+ where it really does matter. Great win none the less

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JackSmith_GCC wrote:

Your ceiling is what you make it - I think you probably can make it to at least 1600. 
Nevertheless, you can let this win give you confidence and help you internalise that you have a chance against anyone you play!
IMO, consistency and minimising blunders is one of the most important things, if not one of the most fun things, to focus on in order to gain rating, 
Sun Tzu said it best: 
"To secure ourselves against defeat is in our hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself."
Good luck in your chess journey!

Guess what, I actually just made it to 1700. Probably going to have a drop at some point, as after a little break I only lost 13 out of 37 games (and one draw), and even won 14 out of the last 17.

But why I'm really back here is to thank you again for your comment. I've come to realize that confidence is way more important than I thought. And I think this was the start of the journey to where I am right now.

Changing the way I think and managing my emotions has helped me so much in my game, and I hope others will see this and get inspired as well. Just go into every game ready to play your best game ever. And if your opponent tricks you with a nice tactic: don't be mad at yourself for allowing it, but just appreciate the beauty of it. As paradoxical as it sounds: every loss helps you increase your rating, as it's an opportunity to learn and improve.

JackSmith_GCC

Well done on the increase - 400 points is a great jump for a bit over a year! Next goal is to disprove the assertion in the OP that you'll never reach 1900. 
It's never a linear journey, but keep your eyes a few hundred points ahead of you, try your best in every game, and magic happens happy.png 
Thanks for the feedback! It's great to hear when one's advice has steered someone in the right direction.

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JackSmith_GCC wrote:

Well done on the increase - 400 points is a great jump for a bit over a year! Next goal is to disprove the assertion in the OP that you'll never reach 1900. 
It's never a linear journey, but keep your eyes a few hundred points ahead of you, try your best in every game, and magic happens
Thanks for the feedback! It's great to hear when one's advice has steered someone in the right direction.

1900 It is! And fun fact: to this day, the game in this topic is still against the highest-rated opponent I've ever beaten. But that should be something I can improve on in the near future.

What really helped me this past year or so is the YouTube channel I created. They say the best way to learn is to teach, and that worked out perfectly for me!

So to everyone who thinks something is out of reach: just approach it in small steps and really appreciate every milestone you achieve. You'll amaze yourself with what's possible. I know I have at least.

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Wow, suddenly I've reached 2000. Somehow this feels like a huge weight dropped off my shoulders. Maybe now I can finally play without caring about my rating too much, knowing that I can now forever say that I've reached 2000 at some point.

For now, I'm not going to set a new goal, and will just enjoy learning and playing. Thank you all for your support during this journey!