Reaching 2100+

 Perhaps the guy is on an EGO trip !!     LOL

I agree with staying off blitz, my last foray into chess a couple of years ago I spent a few months playing blitz and it did nothing for me.

This time around I am doing exclusively correspondence and I already feel stronger for it.

I would only recommend blitz for 2 things :

1. Fun.

2. If you have a problem with time management that you need to correct.

Otherwise as little as possible. Blitz leads you to believe you can get away with a lot of crazy stuff that you really can't if your opponent is actually going to stop and think for a few minutes.

It took me about 3 years to go from 1800 to 2100 (in the years when I was still actually improving, I generally averaged 100 points per year).

Adopt the simplest possible repertoire, be content with a whole lot of draws, and practice the hell out of tactics and endgames.

Any time you want to make a big jump at anything from a starting point below professional strength, the key is to do everything in your power to become world-class at the fundamentals.

Oh, if only that were true...

 Um, the E8 system is a close second to Matrix Chess (WTF) that was a humdinger

Wow, you reached 2100 before the existence of internet discussion forums?!

Yes, since I couldn't chat I had to kill a lot of time by improving. 

reaching 2100 in such a period of time is as unlikely as it is ambitious.
but why not go for other tournaments and more realistic goals? at least give it some more time, Im sorry if im mistaking, but i see no reasonable chance it could happen.

ps. if you think you know 20 book openings deep, you probably dont know how to play chess at all. and 2100 with no understanding of endgames? bravo!!

in any case, good luck with your improvements!

As a player who is close to 2100 myself (2065 USCF at the moment), I can say that Compensation is totally correct when he says that 2100s are not good at chess.

RoseQueen, I don't know what your OTB rating is, but I can say that players at my level make so many mistakes it's not even funny. Sometimes I laugh at how terribly I play.

2100 players do not have positional skills. Whatever else they do have varies by the player. In my case, I am strong at endgames, but weak at calculation (my tactical vision is above average, I would say). I know a lot of openings, but not many in DEPTH...a problem shared by many of my peers I am sure. My planning skills are inconsistent at best.

I don't know an expert who doesn't collapse in the openings sometimes (including me). In fact, last year I faced a 2300 player who misplayed an opening line and I was winning by move 10.

Don't give 2100s too much credit!

Now, can the OP reach 2100 in 7 months? I'd say it will be quite tough, but I would never say it is impossible.

My advice:

1. Make sure 80% of your opponents are rated 2000-2300.

2. Don't play in a tournament if you are tired or feeling like crap.

3. Make sure your brain is turned on from move 1 till the end of the game (sounds obvious, but it's not).

4. Don't be afraid of your opponents. This is the most important tip of all.

Four more:

5. Chess is about time and space.

6. When you get the initiative, press on with it. 

7. Realization of an advantage begins with Centralization.

8. Defense exists always!

As always with these things, it depends on what you mean by "not good"... 

 I guess. But lower-rateds give us way too much credit in general.

Hi

Have you considered getting a strong personal coach? This is expensive but with the time and efford you are going to invest anyway I think you will want to know that you are not wasting time.

If you do not get a coach you may consider starting out with some of the "self-evaluating-tools" - Im thinking of Khmelnitskys Chess Exam and training guide. This is realy worth the efford because it is not just an examn but at the same time a complete workout.

Your daily program looks OK but I would divide my time in two different kind of training 1) everyday activities. These would be tactics, vizualisation exercises and general strategy execises. 2) Theme activity. I would pick a specific theme and work focused 2-3 weeks - e.g. roock endgames for two weeks, after that IQP-structures for two weeks, after that studying Karpov games for two weeks etc.   

A third alternative suggestion would be to simply follow the yusupow course http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/docs/14/artur_yusupovs_awardwinning_training_course/

Just my two cents - my goal resembles yours only I have much less time to study but on the other hand have given myself three years to get from 1700 to 2000.

best,

Larsen_fan

350 points in 6 months is a tough ask, but probably not impossible if you study like mad and do little other than chess.

But you've got to ask yourself if that's really worth it. I guess looking at your age, you've got schoolwork to do, and that's got to be more important than chess, especially as none of us are ever going to be chess professionals.

I've increased by almost 350 points in the last 7 years (1690 to 2020), so 50 points a year, and that's with a small amount of study. That's a more 'normal' learning curve.

Please note that I am homeschooled and although I do have a lot of work, I can focus on chess more than some people.

To reach 2100, you have to work on it all.

I think its a good idea to find an OTB coach to help you.

To Chessisgood,

In 2012 the world youth Chess championship is in Maribor, Slovenia and its not in Paris, France and also its not in August. Its held from 7-Nov-2012 to 19-Nov-2012.

For more details on this check Fide calendar.

And the USCF takes the peak rating in the month of April/May.So do your hardwork and you can get into it. Also which age group you will be playing for the year 2012?

just lie. and tell them you are 2300

Check out this website: ACO Chess.

Ok, hi again. I am going to be playing in a few FIDE tournaments in the near future. I am currently unrated with FIDE and can hope for a good initial rating if I get good tourney results. Any suggestions on how to make this happen? Thanks!