Goal to 1600 OTB

I have a goal to get to 1600 OTB. Here's my history - 

I've played CC chess for years, generally just to play and not a goal on improving. I'm 1750 in CC on here, I think it's flattering inflated from playing people in tournaments lower than me.  Rapid of 1280 but only played 10 games. Blits of 1160 but only played 8. 

I have just joined my local OTB chess club and played my first OTB timed game... I lost to a 1100, I was up a piece, in a good position, but blundered - time pressure (not low on time, but playing quickly due to never using a clock before). 

I have started doing the lessons on here, I've signed on to lichess (dirty word, I know ) for the lessons on there.

I'm guessing the tips to get to 1600 is play more OTB, analyse every game, do lessons? 

Do you think this goal is reasonable? Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks! 

Thanks, great advice. 

Goal is reasonable.  Work on good piece development, especially thru opening phase (10-12 moves).  Follow this with making good moves using a pre-move checklist (i.e., king safety, checks, captures, threats, improving least active piece, etc.). Puzzles will help with tactical combinations.  Self-analysis of games ahead of engine analysis.   Spend 80% time studying & 20% play. Be proficient in AN as OTB requires writing each move.  Add simple end game study as you progress.  Play one opening for white (e4 or d4) and prepare a response as black to e4, d4 & c4.  Update us in a few months on your success.  Cheers

Thank you.

Reach out if you have questions, something works or doesn't, how you are progressing. 

Goal is very reasonable.  It could take some time, but you can do it.  Read, study, train.

*Update*

I managed to get a draw against the Match Captain (1750 official  OTB rating). He only plays OTB, so as I was going to be white, I thought he won't have seen the Bird's opening for years (I was right, he hadn't played against it for 20 years!). I spent a week learning the lines and he took 2 minutes for his first two moves! Through the opening and most of the middle game, the engine said he was slightly better but was losing time due to not knowing it. I made two blunders, but he made more inaccuracies, which kept me in the game. After a good sacrifice buy him, he missed a mate in 6 (understandable I guess), then he blundered. I was up, but unsure if I could convert it, so offered a draw. Looking back I shouldn't have, but I went into the game (stupidly) thinking a draw was the best I could get. 

For my third OTB game I'm happy, the guys at the club seemed impressed with my idea of the Bird's.  

This week I'm playing with black against a 1550 players - I'm going through responses to e4 and d4, doing some learning and hoping I don't do anything too stupid too early and spoil any chance I may have - the longer I go without blundering the more chance he'll blunder

@1

"I was up a piece, in a good position, but blundered"
++ Always check your intended move is no blunder before you play it.

"but playing quickly due to never using a clock before" ++ Never play a hasty move.
Losing by a blunder with time on your clock is worse than losing on time.

"tips to get to 1600" ++ Analyse your lost games 

@7

"he took 2 minutes for his first two moves!" ++ It is wise to take time to think.

"I made two blunders" ++ Always check your intended move is no blunder before you play it.

"then he blundered" ++ So you would have lost if he had blunder checked.

"so offered a draw"
++ Never offer a draw if there is any hope to win, never resign when there is any hope to draw. 

"the guys at the club seemed impressed with my idea of the Bird's."
++ If you play Dutch Defence as black, it makes sense to open Bird's Opening as white.

"hoping I don't do anything too stupid" ++ Do not hope, blunder check.

"the longer I go without blundering the more chance he'll blunder"
++ That is why you should always blunder check before you play a move.

Sure, 1600 is reasonable goal.

IMO Tthe 3 main activities are studying (e.g. books), drills (e.g. solving tactic puzzles), and games (longer than blitz, and yes analyze them afterwards).

Of course you can also play blitz and bullet for fun, but that won't be a primary part of your training.

For studying, it's usually a waste to study the opening unless you're getting bad positions in the first 10 moves. Typically it's best to study strategy or endgames.

---

So in summary: Play games longer than a blitz time control, analyze them, solve tactic puzzles, and study a book on strategy (or endgames).

Watch more videos, study unpopular variations and Gambits, that will help to some extent.

After years of playing Chessmaster and using Chess Life’s “Solitaire Chess” to estimate my rating as A Class, I showed up at my local chess club. I went 3-3 against an 1100 in casual games. After my first tournament a few months later, my rating was in the 1200s. My first non-provisional rating was 1490. I remained in Class C for ten years. 

I crossed 1600 after a summer of lessons with a coach.

Three years after that I was A Class.

Lichess lessons are useful, but you’ll soon exhaust them. Chessdotcom has far more. Both sites offer connections to coaches.

Study the right books. Target your own weaknesses. Don’t neglect endgame study. Avoid those who want to offer shortcuts. Tactics will do you more good than anything else, but don’t fall into MDLM’s trap.

I came to this view reading Excelling at Technical Chess by Jacob Aagaard. It was critical for lifting me from the 1600s OTB into the 1900s.

I'll have a look into getting it, thanks.

I guess my goal has changed! I'm now going for 'Keep above 1600 for the year'. My club's season ends in June.  I won against a 1604 rated player last night, so it'll go up a few points too!