200 Rating drop within a week. Normal?

After peaking 1600 rapid a little over a week ago I've encountered my biggest downswing thus far. I've experienced 100 rating downswings before but never this severe.

Here is a self analysis of my game:

Strengths: Strong in the opening and with offensive tactics. After the opening I am very often better. Finding tactical patterns slightly more often than players in my rating range

Weaknesses: Weak with positional play, defensive tactics, and playing with a correct plan. My struggle is losing winning positions (+3 or greater) very frequently. I also very often lose losing positions (-1 or less).

I don't mind losing, but when I am losing to players who play a terrible opening and find brilliant moves to weave their way out of a bad position it is very demotivating.

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By looking at my games in the past week are there patterns or trends that anyone may notice? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Hey! 

I saw some of your rapid games and you are right about your weakness regarding following the right plan. First of all as a chess player our peak rating is just a lucky win streak to be honest, and its okay to lose rating it reflects you are not rating bind.

I think you dont like to play the closed positions at all, correct me if I am wrong, also I suggest you two things, make less pawn moves and try developing pieces before breaking in the center, even if you can its better to develop pieces. 

See the games of good players in the opening you play, it gives good idea and many options to consider before going for a plan. 

All the best!

I am glad if I was of any help, iit is Avii no "L" 😇

Great insight @Avii0034.

You're spot on; I greatly prefer open positions. Does developing more pieces before a center pawn break generally lead to more open positions? I never thought of it like that.

Any ideas or resources that can help to develop stronger plans in the middle game?

From a brief glance at your games, it seems that you could use a bit more aggression out of the opening, as you aren't occupying space and the center as much as you should. Your tactics seem fine but again, could use some more time in the tactics trainer.

Here's a hint to think of plans in scenarios where you don't know what to do: try to improve your worst piece. A metal chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Often, the weak piece is not difficult to identify; as long as you are away of this idea, then your positional play should improve.

Be very careful about neglecting central pawn moves. If you opponent has center control:

1. Assuming all other things equal, your opponent would have the objective advantage.

2. Your opponent would have more space to maneuver, and subsequently have more flexibility.

3. You would have less space to maneuver (a chess board only has 64 squares; the more your opponent has, the less you have) and would feel cramped.

If you don't use pawns to contest the center, then your opponent can take it, and the points above are likely to happen.

If you want a somewhat-consistent occurrence of open positions, then search up some openings with this characteristic and study them. It would give you a position you are comfortable playing and reduces the advantages given up to your opponent.

I can't tell you if there is a pattern on your play, since I've only looked at two of your games. I did notice you've played quite a lot of games and that's usually not a good sign in a downswing. It made me wonder if you were able to give each game the focus and attention you need to.

The game you played against boothyboy2021 is very telling. The opening was an absolute disaster. On move 3 you played f3 which is an odd move (you always play e3 here, as do most people). Perhaps a mouse slip, or maybe trying out a new line. Then 4. d4? En then 6. g4?  I am totally unfamiliar with this opening (Nimzo-Larsen Attack), so I won't claim to know better. But a -5.05 engine evaluation on move 6 is extremely bad. Since you claim to be strong in the opening, my guess is that you were not paying attention. A few move later, after 9.Nh3 you get the following position

I'm struggling to see what you are going for in this setup. (for the record, I don't know the ideas behind your opening, so I might be overlooking something.). This doesn't look like a position I would feel comfortable playing.

The rest of the game is just pure chaos. It looks like both players play in single player mode, neither of the aware of the other player.  You both keep attacking, ignoring your opponents' attack. Until it's your turn again and you take his Knight and then his Rook, allowing a mate in two for your opponent.  I really don't want to be too harsh, but this game is terrible from beginning to end. It would be a fun Guess the Elo submission.  For a player with your skills, this can only mean you are playing with a lack of focus. 

I also looked at your game vs rameshsinha and that game was totally fine. Too bad you couldn't find f3 or Qxe6+ on move 26, but that can happen. Respect to your opponent for finding Qe2.

I hope these suggestions by fellow members are helpful and if you still need to know something specific feel free to add me or message me.

Chess is a rollercoaster mate!

There used to be a time that I felt myself getting angry or frustrated when on a losing streak.
Even more pumped, I would enter the next battle, only to fail again.

It's sort of a cycle and if you notice it happening, the emotion keeping you from staying sharp, I learned it's better to just leave the board for a while until you get your analytical skills back on par.

But yeah it happens. I am peak 1860 and average around 1670 nowadays. Best to just leave the elo for what it is and focus on improving the chess. The rating will follow. Just get to work - another day in the office.

It's abnormal in the sense that most people don't lose that much.

But it's normal in the sense that a few do.

More seriously, you were rated 1400 last month, so it's not bad or surprising to be rated 1400 this month too.

Your peak rating is not your real strength, it's your peak... sure you can be proud of it, but don't be disappointed when your rating stays below it... that's how peaks work.