One in every crowd.

Average person has already broken 2000 almost 13 years ago:

12/31/1999 23:59:59

... Beep!

01/01/2000 00:00:00

The answer is no....by definition an 'average' (The usual or ordinary kind or quality) person will not be able to acheive such a high rating.

If I had 24 hours, and unlimited resources I still would struggle to put in the required effort.

That is something people miss, some are willing, some are able, few are willing and able. And not being willing is not a bad thing, it's just part of being average.

BIG LOL. that's rubbish

i'll go ahead and say, "no freaking way can an average person hit 2000." 

imo it would take way too much time studying openings to be considered an average person anymore. 

That is not true. If you don't use opening assistance and don't move the pieces on the board to analyze in turn based games, then both ratings will be pretty close, I'd say less than 100 points apart. Just because you have more time to think doesn't mean you will be able to come up with a much better game. You are still limited by your understanding of chess, power of calculation etc. Giving an example doesn't prove my point, but I will just for the sake of it: http://www.chess.com/members/view/iuliusro

I am sure you can give many counterexamples, but ask yourself first if they respect the two conditions I wrote above.

Actually, you shouldn't even mess with opening preparation(memorisation) UNTIL you reach 2000. Study chess, don't memorize openings!

For what it's worth, I spent a lot of effort on openings early on, and it worked out for me.

 An 'average' person can not attain an 'above average' rating. Simples.

Abacus - u r right - i consider myself above average player - 2000 is a dream away -  and a lot of study to boot -

Utter rubbish.

That is the same as saying that if you are an average person then all you are ever going to be is average at everything.

The OP is talking about your average person. Maybe a 9-5 job, 2.4 children, a mortgage....whatever you deem an average person to be. If that person decides to dedicate time and effort to becoming a better player, can they achieve a 2000? I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. But to say that because someone is average they can never achieve anything more than average is a bit narrow minded. Some truly average people have done some amazing things throughout history simply by deciding it was their time to dedicate time and effort to something.

I would hate to live in a world where the average Joe was incapable of even dreaming he could achieve something more than average.

Can I also deem from this that with your 1676, above average rating, that you deem yourself to be a better than average human being?

This was the first thing anyone said to me when I first broke 2000.

"I always thought anybody could get to 2000. Now all doubt has been removed."

Anyone who obtains a rating of 2000 on this website (which requires intelligence, talent and a lot of hard work) can safety consider themselves....'above average'.

So what about the 100 things they might be less than average at? Would it even out to mean that they were actually a less than average human being?

Yes, I am using the word 'average' literally and assuming that it refers to 'average' chess ability. 

Can everyone reach a rating of 2000?....no.

Can the average person reach a rating of 2000?...no

Can a small percentage of people reach 2000?....yes

My rating of 1626 puts me in the top 12% of online players on this site. So yes I consider myself 'above average'. If I was merely 'average' I would have a rating around 1200-1300.

'Hey kids, if you are an average person don't bother putting hard work or effort into anything because average is all you're ever going to be so why waste your time.'

It's not about an average chess player. It is about an average person deciding they want to take up chess and reach a rating of 2000 by working hard and devoting time.

Since a persons worth, be it above or below average, is not determined by their ability at chess, your point doesn't really hold up.

more like, "hey kids if you never put hard work and time into something, anything, all you'll ever hope to be is average at best."

Dude - I shoot rifles as part of my living - If I shoot once a year I am a pretty average shot - but if I am at the ranges every week I am well above average - I dont think abacus is saying what you say but I agree with him/her that average players would not achieve 2000 but with time study and learning they could (but then they would not be average any more) - so maybe you should change your name to

Gengiskhould :-)