What are your rating goals for 2026?

My goals aren't chess.com rated. I'd like to improve my USCF rating by a lot, a real lot. It is pretty pathetic right now so this shouldn't be too hard.

I guess the real goal is probably top half in my state, which is possible since I live in a small state. :- )

I'm doing about 90 minutes to 3 hours of study a day on chessable. Once the study is done I'll go back to playing, looking for 30 minute games. My daily games are pathetic right now, I'm not giving them enough time. I need to spend 5 to 10 minutes PER MOVE on those.

And 1 - 2 OTB tournaments per month. 15 or 30 minute time controls. I'd love to be able to play 60 or 90 minute time controls but right now I wouldn't know what to do with that time.

1) I got back into playing Chess more seriously a few days ago after about 4 years of very little activity, though I had kept a bit sharp from watching YouTube videos, doing puzzles, and playing chess.com bots (I'm finally consistently winning against my archnemesis Li bot, so that's nice lol), so I was pleasantly surprised with my performance thus far in hanging at the 1500-1600 range.

2) My goals for 2026 are hitting 1800 blitz and also getting into rapid and pushing as far I can in that time control as well. With how undisciplined my approach has been as of late, actually following a concrete training plan should yield considerable improvement, so I'm optimistic.

Anyways, congratulations on hitting 2000 OP, wishing you a fruitful 2026 in your chess journey.

Goals based on a new year starting are about as insincere as they come. If it's important Jan 1 then it should be just as important in March, June, August and now.

I don't care about rating, so I have no rating goals. But I have improvement goals: 1) Reduce one-move blunders [hung pieces or mate] to <10% of games played, 2) Improve endgame skill, and 3) Draw with a strong player at chess club who has only beaten me. To achieve these, I plan to: A) Play: 3-5 daily/daily960 games at any time, plus average one 5+3 game per day. B) Study: analyze one key position from each game played, plus Engqvist's 300 Most Important Chess Exercises. C) Puzzles: at least one hard mate in 2 problem plus 5 minute drill of easy mate in 1 puzzles each day.

break 1900 rapid (over the whole year lol) break 1600 blitz and also 1900 bullet (for some reason I'm horrible at blitz but really good at rapid and bullet until I go on a tilt

1500 rapid ig

1) how did 2025 go?

I gained close to 400 rating in rapid, and about the same in blitz.

2) what’s the goals for 2026?
1700 rapid by end of year.

Wow, sounds like you’re getting serious! If you’d like some help refining your game and achieving those goals, drop me a msg, I’ll see if I can fit you in for a coaching session if you’d like.

Agreed in principle, I’m just trying to improve daily, but having an arbitrary marker is quite a good way of monitoring your progress long-term and getting a feel for your rate of improvement.

i dont want to have another rating goals im done retired peace out bruh

2000 is just the beginning! Join the grind for 2100 and beyond with me

Yes, except for two things.

Jan 1 goals are often just the kick one needs to get started. We're all human, we sometimes need a kick. My kick was on September 15, 2025 when I played in my first OTB tournament. That was the kick I needed.

The second is that some things are just plain fun!

I will prob not even play chess by that time (boredom and exams would take over me)

1200 Rapid is the goal for me.

My goal is 2200 rapid for 2026. I don't remember my goals for 2025 though…. Now I will write it down.

Oh, and how did 2025 go? Really good. At the start of 2025, I was at 1352, now I'm at 1891. I'm going to hit 1900 before 2026 january 1.

I'll remind you in 2027

Absolutely agree with you regarding improvement. All Im saying that waiting for a single day in a year is not the way to go about improving.

1) 2025 went well, i was around 1000 when the year started, now im 1800, so i could be happier. 2) Rating goals are 1800 FIDE (Tough because i dont even have a FIDE id yet) and 2100 CC rapid.