31
Last 3 years with friends (we are quite motivated and think have only once lost to a draw [grin] )
Before that i played 1 or 2 matches for Volksschule Saalfelden (elementary school?) in a school tournament. The process of choosing our chess representation was a that time quite strict ("Who knows what a chess is, kids?"). So i was in and won one match, the only one of the team.
So you dont need to be anything to achieve something, you just have to do everything.
I find After studying too much without playing I get what I call ' psychic indigestion'. I find if I go away and just play, a lot of the theoretical stuff has been properly assimilated or 'passed through' my system.
Your age
How long you've been playing
How long have you've been trying to overcome that wall