What kind of improvement can a middle-aged person hope for?

I've been interested in chess all my life, but only played when by chance someone else wanted to play a casual game.

Over the last couple months I have been playing regularly and studying several hours per week; reviewing annotated master games, reading books and setting up the positions on a board, etc. The past couple weeks I have begun going to a chess club and I would guess my USCF rating (once I get one) will be somewhere in the 1500 range or so.

How much can a fairly intelligent, middle-aged guy (I'm 43) hope to improve over a year or two? I realize it could be anywhere from "none" to "a lot", but those are the tail ends of the curve. What might an optimistic but realistic goal be, ratings-wise?

I want something to shoot for as a goal, but I don't want to be unrealistic (or shoot too low, either!).

I have some sympathy,  I did not start playing chess until in my sixties.   I am now in my seventies,  but I keep trying.

In a year or two, I would say that 1800 to Expert (2000) isn't at all out of range, especially if you are around 1500 now.  Hit the books, hit the videos, and play LONG games.  15 0 is just glorified blitz, if you ask me.  I like a good 20 10 or 30 0 game when prepping for a tourney, because those games are likely to last for hours, and there is no way that playing 15 minute games can prepare you for that.

For now, I'd shoot for getting any rating.  Online performance and USCF are completely different beasts. IF you do attain a provisional rating of between 1400 and 1600 somewhere, you are well on your way!  In that instance, I would shoot for the realistic goal of 1700, which in my opinion isn't easy to reach!

Some strong club players who have been into the game for 20 years or more only ever reach low Expert, which is still a very good player!  I wouldn't be looking for any titles, and I wouldn't count on much prize money, but improvement from ground zero is always possible!

Let us know how your first tourney goes, man!  :)

Thanks for the response. The club I go to does G/90 ladder play. So long games are no problem. I very much prefer them. I just haven't been able to get into Blitz chess. I have been thinking I would like to get to 2000 as a goal, I just didn't know if there's no way someone my age could improve that much.

For what it's worth, I turned 29 in April.  I knew chess but never really studied it until last July.  I spent the last year studying heavily and playing, prob studied maybe 12-15 hours per week in addition to games.  I played my first USCF rated tourney in July, scored 3.5/5.0 in the U1600 and came out with a first provisional of 1579.  I just did a 4 round swiss last weekend and finished 2.0/4.0, losing to a 1714 and a 2070.  My provisional dropped to 1545.  Over the board tourneys, especially at long time controls are MUCH more challenging than online play in my opinion.  That being said, I have social anxiety which significantly reduces my playing strength when playing in a crowded room, I have trouble staying clear.  In the past year my FICS standard rating has risen from 1300-ish to 1700-ish and my FICS blitz went from around 1100 to around 1400.  I think that is significant improvement. 

I highly recommend tactics and ending training to improve.  But I just thought I'd share my progress, since we are in similar boats.  My goal for the next 12 months is to reach 1700-1800 otb, with 2000 the ultimate goal within 5 years.  Anything beyond that is icing on the cake to me.

43 is still young!  no reason you can't improve as much in a year as an even younger player could assuming you where both given the same amount of free time.

100%, whis!  I like your attitude, and I believe it will cause you to reach your intended goals.  I'm still a class player myself, but the ultimate goal is 2000.  Expert.  I would love to tell people, "Yea, I play chess.  I'm an Expert.  No, really, an official Expert."  Oh, I am giddy for that day!

OTB chess isn't anything nice, especially when starting out.  My first provisional rating was 1456, and the next tourney I played in I won $40.00 for the Best Upset prize.  After that, I topped out at 1590 and then had a few bad tourneys (really bad ones).  I stopped the OTB thing for a while, and played exclusively online while studying a ton.  My online rating (slow games) has gone to 2080 at its peak, and I maintain 1950-2000 pretty easily. 

Therefore, my current USCF rating of 1545 is a bit off, I believe.  Generally, you take your online slow rating, and take away 200 points to estimate your USCF rating.  That puts me somewhere around 17-1800 theoretically - RIGHT where I want to be! 

I won best in class at the last tourney I played in, and have another coming up.  I am hoping for a good 50 point increase before Christmas, but we'll see.

Anyhow, the point is, that when you find a few openings you love and understand, your rating will soar. I was stuck in the 1750-1850 rut for years (online, of course).  Then I found the Hypermodern openings, such as the Reti and Alekhine's Defense, and that is when I started smacking down all the higher-rated players.  I understood those openings much more than the e4 or d4 bits, and they clicked with me.

I suggest getting a database of GM games and going through them s-l-o-w-l-y, kind of playing guess the move with yourself.  That really helps me improve, anyhow.  Also, chess video lectures REALLY help me.  Here is an article, just for kicks, about them: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/904029/chess_video_lectures_are_they_for_you.html?cat=11

Lastly, get yourself a tactics trainer and really put some time into it.  I use a few, both for the PC and in book form, and I try to do a few whenever I get a spare few moments. 

Once you begin to understand things like square control and "themes" of certain openings, your rating will climb very quickly! 

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I'm 48 yeas old. didn't start playing chess until 43. keep going....

realisticly , I may not be world champion. but I do believe I will be a very strong Master (Soon) , chess coach and author....  In Which they say is impossible @ my age starting chess. I dedicate 10hrs to chess daily / 7 days a week. With that kind Of dedication , something has to give...

keep doing what your doing , and don't put obstacles in front of yourself. because they say it can't be done.

I'm only rated 1531 here @ chess.com ; when you see me (Soon) 2000+

don't never doubt yourself again.

loll...

It can happen!  Belief is half the battle.

Doubt is the other half ...

If you are in the 1500 rating range and study 20 hours per week--you should reach 1700-1750 or so in one year. But you have to study the right way.

Does your rating matter if you enjoy playing this great game!

I am nearly 68 and joined this site 6 weeks ago. I win many more games than I lose and my rating slowly improves.When the game is over I play the game over and see the moves both my oponent and I should have played.

I notice there is a double negative in the comment above by "SoonWorldChessChamp" so he probably ended saying the opposite of what he intended.

I shall continue by searching for HiggsBoson improvement but it may not come to pass.