Damn, I really feel like I'm improving; I remember just a few months ago I'd blunder pieces for no compensation, miss mates in 1, anything a generic amateur would do. I started off playing on the yahoo chess server at that time, and in less than a week my rating had dropped from the starting 1200 to 1000, and today, I finally surpassed the 1300 mark. I owe a lot of thanks to this website and its great videos that had always kept me thinking. But you just put one foot in front of the other, and before you know it, you're there.

Now, I'm not professional chess player, nor do I plan to be one when i grow up, my goal, is to eventually obtain a rating of 2000 USCF. I practice chess daily and occasionally study games, I'll make it.

I finally gave up Yahoo chess, for something much better. I found the board too small, the people of low quality, seriously half the scum there would leave the room in a lost position , making you wait up to 10 min to claim your victory; some people really have no standards. I tried playing on ICC, but didn't really like it, so I'm just gonna stick to playchess. I find the servers there of higher quality, less lag for me at least.

And today, I reached my all-time highest rating of 1464 on playchess
yep, I'm happy, I feel like I'm really improving.

AND THEN I LOSE A Q vs Q + 2 PAWNS ENDGAME, I guess im not perfect yet.

lol the first step to chess improvement is giving up yahoo chess! Goodluck on ur goals. Do u have a current USCF rating yet?

What I've heard people say about yahoo chess then that's a sure thing!

Good luck on your goals

Really feel like I'm improving, I'm seeing the board from a more positional standpoint intead of just looking at the game materialwise. I UNDERSTANDD!!!!
and i finally broke the 1400 barrier on chess tactics woot!

thanks for the support everyone! chess is just so interesting at times

Glad to hear it! Sounds like you're improving rapidly.

new all time highests of 1488 on chesstactics and 1484 on playchess, but i find that i cant push it much farther ahhh.

i think i need to study some opening theory or something, I kinda just play instinctively now, especially as white where i play e4. Somehow I feel more comfortable as black playing the sicilian because of all of curtains vids. If someone could recommend me some opening theory books on 1. e4 or ...c6 id really appreciate it.

Me again... 3 years later!
I lost my password to the last account, and about 2 other accounts before this one and couldn't recover them because I forgot the e-mail password as well!

I've since moved from playchess to FICS... seriously, why pay for ICC unless chess is your profession?
Now, my chesstactics rating is around 1650 and on FICS I'm between 1650 and 1700.
Wooo!, I'm glad I rediscovered this journal, it's nice to see how much I've improved (albeit it did take 3 years...)

started playing on chess.com and have played a few games on chesscube as well. Both sites seem overrated and I've been maintaining a 1800-1900+ rating. Books I've read: Silman's Endgame Guide, Lev Alburts Chess Training Pocketbook, Chess Openings for Black, Ex. (yes, I'm a curtains fan, who isn't?!)

I've also started some other books, but don't like it when I need a chess board to read.

Also been practicing blindfold chess tactics on CVTV. Hope to be able to play a full game soon! (just need to find a weakling I may have a chance against! lol)

On an irrelevant note, I now know 400 digits of pi: learnt starting on pi day! 2 days ago on march 14th.
I should reach 1000 in a week or so if I don't quit or my mind doesn't fry.
What's the point? Besides being good for bragging about, I'm thinking these memory exercises will help me reach my goal of playing a blindfold game.

hey, you appear to be interested in getting better with your chess. If I can be of help please feel free: http://chesstrainingschool.com/

my contact info is there, any questions I will answer them.

Charles