Please help with my chess project (1650 elo)

Im a senior and highschool and for my senior project I need to reach 1800 USCF elo and part of my project is finding an outside expert to interview which is part of the credit. So can anyone who is a higher level than me (1650 chess.com and 1200 USCF) help me by answering my questions?

1. I understand how to learn opening theory but what can I do to simply improve my ability to calculate in game?
2. What should I do to prepare for a tournament, including mentally?
3. I’m at 1200 USCF should I be playing U1400 or U1800 level tournaments especially considering the fact that this is due by mid May?
4. Any suggestions to my opening repertoire I currently play Kings Indian, Sicilian Najdorf and Ruy Lopez? Are these openings good for my level or should I consider another approach and are there any other openings I should study up on that I might encounter?

Feel free to give any other suggestion and please give a first name and credentials such as USCF/Fide ratings or other chess experience for the sake of my project. Thank you.

Anjan 1800 USCF

1. Use a calc

2. Rawdog it

3. U1800 so I can beat you

4. Maybe don't play zesty openings

1. Puzzles always help a lot with this, do tons of those. If you don’t have a membership for unlimited puzzles you can create a lichess account and do unlimited puzzles there. As far as calculating during a game goes, try understanding your opponents ideas as well as your own. I usually do this by imagining I’m playing with the opponents pieces and trying to find their best moves.

2. For tournaments work on time management especially since playing OTB is a lot slower than online as you can’t pre-move OTB. If you get into bad time trouble OTB especially in blitz it’s really hard to get out of.

3. I don’t have much experience with this but I’d say find the tournament that is as recent as possible especially if the deadline is soon.

4. Learn the Caro-Kann for black, it’s very helpful for making solid positions and poking at your opponents center. I would avoid very theory heavy openings like the Ruy Lopez mostly because of how complicated they are and there being a chance that your opponent knows that opening much better than you.

Good luck on finding an outside expert! I would try to find some tutors or look for masters who are able to coach you, although it may cost some money.

Set short-term goals for each tournament and make progress at a steady pace. Trying to jump from 1200 to 1800 might be tough, but you can set a goal of reaching 1500 by mid-May and then work your way up from there.

1)Work on tactics, and endgame strategy/technique. 2)Trust your training. Consider tournaments the culmination of all the work you put in beforehand. 3) Considering the timeframe, you need to aim for the U1800 section. If you are going to gain a significant amount of rating points, you need to score those big upsets. 4)I'd probably suggest switching away from the Sicilian. I personally feel that your repertoire is pressure on yourself because of this project. 6)Seek out smaller club-level events where you can play at least weekly. You will need to find expert-caliber players so that you can learn how to play up to their level. I'm rated around 1700 USCF.

I know go to chess dot com then go to tournaments there you can challenge the top player

Win in 9 moves with the fried liver and If he plays goigo piano then b4

It is just 10 min there I a 10 min guide

It is best around 1200 to 1600 uscf

I won a game that way