Starting Chess as an Adult: How Good Can You REALLY Get?

[@proust56]

I think I may be the latest starter in history. I started in 2021 at age 65 while still working full time as a criminal defense lawyer. Due to my workload, I could only play about one or two games online per week, and now I'm right around 1090-1100 and struggling. Still, I love the game and now that I have more time want to concentrate on study methods. Looking forward to more of your videos.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

What an inspiring comment! It is never too late to start playing/improving at chess. I will surely add more videos that you will find relevant. Speaking about the criminal defense, you may like my Chessable course "Chess Crime and Punishment" :) www.chessable.com/chess-crime-and-punishment/course/116052/

[@Beery1962]

I think everyone struggles around this level. The key, I think, is to eliminate one's blunders. If you can figure out why you're blundering (whether it's a matter of losing focus, not seeing more than the next move, not taking into account your opponent's plans, or missing traps that you might be falling into), you can find ways to overcome the issue and advance. I'm 61, so I'm close to your age and I've been around the 1000-1100 level for some time, and I'm just beginning to really see where I'm going wrong. Also, I tend to get really frustrated about my losses, but in the last couple of days I've started to work on having a better attitude towards my defeats - Dr. Can mentions this in the video, and I think it's great advice.

[@Beery1962]

Don't get discouraged - I think 1100 is still a far better rating than most people we meet who only dabble in chess. I was shocked when my daughter mentioned that her college friends thought I was some kind of chess genius because I routinely play at around the 1100 level and my highest ever rating was 1244. I suspect the average rating for those who don't play chess regularly is around 500. So most people you meet outside of chess circles are nowhere near our level.

[@IvanBaAl961]

@@Beery1962 Blunders is a thing to work with but the most important thing is your strategy. You can eliminate at least obvious blunders if you take enough time to think, but you can't win a high level game without any plan. Besides, a reliable plan itself decreases probability of blunders. There is some fun to play dangerous game though. It's not to avoid at all cost.

[@yakkyuu12]

Sorry, I beat you. I started at 66. I really don’t care, about the age thing! I love this game! I learned just basics of how pieces moved at 10, never got back to it, just like you. There were MANY OTHER PRIORITIES. Now, as I have time, the history, the GREAT craftsmanship of pieces and the study lends so much to learning!! That learning is what it’s all about! So play on! I have actually beaten players above 1700( not often!) Just keep learning and ENJOYING the other aspects, history and craftsmanship of so MANY different sets!!

[@squirrelsquirrel9421]

I learned chess at 47 and at 59 I am rated 1850 USCF. I’ve had a lot of success really.

[@altrfryd5859]

2000 would be nice

[@SpontaneityJD]

😂

[@Australianchessplayer]

That's pretty decent. My chess has been interspersed with long breaks. I played at school (no organised club), and in my last year at a club where I was one of the better players, but there were no ratings. That was 65. Then none until the late 80s where I took up club chess in Melbourne, Australia. My initial rating was 1152, a bit lower than my USCF rating would have been. One thing I found interesting, I came equal second in a club championship with a performance 1800+ with games played Wednesday evenings, and in a tournament in aother club with games on Friday evenings and my performance around 1300. I blame the mass of underrated juniors depressing the ratings of senior players.

[@altrfryd5859]

@@Australianchessplayer You are still only a 1152...

[@musicdecoratestimewhitenoi6714]

I got about 6 mins into this video when I saw you comment....saved me 12 mins!-)

[@alexblue6991]

My age 71yr a complete beginner for me it's about having fun and trying to keep my brain active

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Inspiring! Improvement should not be the only goal of engaging in chess.

[@jeffreyperdue1606]

I started playing at 30 because of queens gambit in january 2021. Before that i knew how the pieces moved and had played a handful of games against family but zero knowledge of anything more. I was able to get to 1200 relatively quickly and am currently sitting at 1650 online and 1300 OTB (uscf). The biggest down side to starting around my age is the time constraints. Having children and working constantly leaves limited time to study, usually really late after everyone is asleep. Finding time to go to tournaments is the main limiting factor in slow OTB rating gain. Overall i feel i will eventually hit expert (2000-2199) but it will take many years at this rate.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your inspiring comment! Can you please briefly tell me how your training looked like when you quickly reached 1200 (online I assume)?

[@jeffreyperdue1606]

@Dr.CansClinic once I hit about 1100 I decided I wanted to take this somewhat seriously so I joined my local club and hired a coach. He got me on books and a daily regiment of puzzles, endgames, general chess study, and openings. It took probably a year over the board to hit 1300 due to nerves and making stupid mistakes. I did however manage to win clear 1st at my local tournament at a rating of 1141, lowest ever to win. Now with my wife due in a few months with our 2nd, studying and chess in general has taken a back seat. I still try and study during lunch and breaks at work or late at night. Thank you for your videos and keep it up!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@jeffreyperdue1606 Thank you! An congrats on your great achievement in your local chess club!! I will keep them coming :)

[@merluzacongelada5361]

I started at 30 too, also got to 1300 pretty fast by doing essentially nothing other than playing and watching a few chess streamers casually. I feel like this is probably the best you can get as an adult without serious training.

[@jonmcclenahan8379]

This caught my attention... because im 67 yrs old and believe it or not, i still want to improve! Learned to play at 11 but didnt ever really study until recently. I've come to realize i don't have the passion to pursue it properly... trying to get better at pattern recognition (got all four of your puzzles right, so happy to say) ... trying to have fun (it's a GAME) ... but still sad when i lose.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for sharing this. It is never too late to improve at chess. Good that you are trying to learn those patterns and chunks! :) And yes, do not forget to have fun!

[@kylezo]

interesting to think about neuroplasticity and how it relates to learning chess late. same goes for languages, musical skill, etc. i think research into neuroplasticity is one of the most exciting frontiers of neuroscience.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Definitely!

[@natalyawoop4263]

Interesting stuff! I wonder how learning chess compares to learning a language

[@kylezo]

@@natalyawoop4263 seriously I think it's really a lot of overlap.

[@tylindell927]

I started at 27 I'm 30 now and a 2000. I believe with study now I can achieve a 2400 someday. But I won't limit how high I may be able to go

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That is some achievement, congratulations! Keep up the good work!

[@tylindell927]

@gehteuchnichtsan8306 I've been playing since 26. And which rating are we speaking about? Blitz? Classical? Bullet? Rapid?

[@JohnS-il1dr]

​@gehteuchnichtsan8306probably online rating not FIDE or USCF

[@MrSupernova111]

@gehteuchnichtsan8306 . I improved from 1400 to 2000 online in three years as well. In 5 years I reached 2300 online. I still have huge knowledge gaps which I'm working on this year. I had zero professional help and limited formal training via books or courses. 2000 rating is not as impressive as you might think. I fully agree that 2400 FIDE is possible for adult learners, perhaps at the limit of possibilities, but it comes down to effort. My goal is 2200 USCF and I'm giving myself 1-2 more years to get there. Don't listen to anyone that tries to impose limits on you.

[@joakimkempe2153]

There is a girl here on KZbin who made it to 2000 rapid within two years so to do it within three years is absolutely achievable if you have some talent and put in the effort. @gehteuchnichtsan8306

[@FullMoonHatch]

I just started playing chess in March 2023 and Im 50. My opening elo of 800 immediately dropped to 300.....now I am back at 700; I don't need to be a 2200 GM....but I do want to improve and I love the thought game!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your comment! The game is so beautiful, keep the passion and enjoy the journey!

[@jaekn]

2200 is too low for a GM

[@sallybrookner4158]

Next I’m going to watch videos on why I’ll never learn another language, never learn to play the violin, be a ballet dancer, or write the great American novel.

[@jaybingham3711]

Here's the good news: All human chess play is woefully deficient. And that is true even of titled players...including SGMs. Do a YT search of Carlsen blundering. He blunders. We all blunder. So it doesn't matter what level you reach. There is fun play to be had at all levels. In fact, the game is more enjoyable without the shackle of a title. If anything, you may want to strive for becoming good enough to play competent chess...most of the time. For classical time control, you start encountering that around 1600-1700. For rapid, 1200-1300. This kind of rating puts you in the upper quartile of all players. That's a respectable accomplishment. Particularly for someone who started the game late in life. At these levels, you will have what it takes to play very solid around a third of the time. And exceptionally around 5-10 percent of the time (a slash line of say 2/0/0 and an accuracy over 90). From there, all that you're doing is running down improvement in those percentages. A super outstanding accomplishment would be locking down the ability to play exceptionally well 50 percent of the time. The run between becoming respectable up to outstanding is probably the most fun you'll ever have with chess. From there, further incremental improvements will be extremely hard fought. We all are destined to reach a peak. And, again, all human peaks (including SGM) are deficient. In that regard, none should be taken too seriously. Play for the fun of it. Be happy for whatever peak you achieve. That's how to extract max value from such a (tedious) endeavor.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your inspiring comment! It is surely the journey that gives the most pleasure. One can get big joy by staying in the zone and overcoming desirable difficulties - without necessarily aiming to become a master level player.

[@hooptron9]

Love the video! Not many people know about Noctie AI -- I didn't before you showed me. It could be a good tool for adult improvers as well.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your kind comment.

[@Flying_Scotsman_1921]

Started at age 30, but played a very small amount whilst younger. Went from about 800 elo to 1600 elo in rapid in 5 years, so now aged 35. I think I'm probably around the limit of what I can hope to achieve based on my current style of learning. I think it would be possible to progress further, but would take very large efforts.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your insights! Progress generally becomes more difficult on higher levels indeed. Can you please briefly mention how your training looked like when you progressed from 800 to 1600 in 5 years?

[@MrSupernova111]

1600 is nothing. I'm older than you with a 2300 online rating. I also started at an older age than you are right now. If you're serious about chess and don't know how to progress get a coach that can at least point you in the right direction. See my comment below for my thoughts on improving to 2200 USCF or FIDE.

[@Flying_Scotsman_1921]

@@Dr.CansClinic 800-1500 was done in the first 3 years, and this was by just constantly playing (Rapid and Blitz) nearly every day, but also by watching lots of chess videos on ratings climbs and also openings. At the year 3 point I joined a club, and have since then climbed another 100 elo. My approach has been somewhat the same, except now I do more puzzles and also player longer time control games and tournaments through the club. My feeling is that to then get past 1600 I would need to get a chess coach and brush up a lot of opening theory and endgame theory. However, the trouble is that I don't really have the time (and don't take chess that seriously, as also have other interests). So for me 1600 feels like a sort of limit unless I invested a lot more time and effort.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@Flying_Scotsman_1921 Thank you for taking your time and describing what you did during those years.

[@Woodflooralchemist]

I grew from 900 to 1550 Elo in rapid time control, Over probably last three years. I watched a lot of GM Finegold and various other GMs and IMs the saint Louis chess club brought in back in the day. Then when Gotham started making content I started really advancing but I have sort of plateaued for now. Looking for the next break through.

[@Serkan33556]

okay now gonna ask this how much can i progress starting from 16 years old i study about 2:30 hours a day

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I started around 16 and reached 2153 ELO around 21. Becoming an IM is less likely, but CM/FM is achievable I think.

[@2UnderstandDivinely]

I stated at exactly 30, but that was 8 years ago and I’ve peaked at about 1600 in slower time formats, and gotten my puzzle rating to 2500… whereas my blitz rating is significantly lower, generally in the 1100-1300 range. Problem is I love blitz 😂

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for your comment! Blitz can be too much fun indeed! :)

[@ItsKyleMang]

In the words of the great Pretty Ricky, age ain't nothing but a number.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I love it!

[@TerencePetersenAjbro]

I started at 55-56 and am probably an average player at club level now. I can beat players 1200 - 1600 on good days. Ser att du bor i Sverige också! Jag flyttade dit 2015.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for the insight! Jag flyttade dit 2013 :)

[@TerencePetersenAjbro]

@@Dr.CansClinic I have played in a few over the board tournaments in Västra Götaland, distriktserien. Väldig mysigt!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@TerencePetersenAjbro Vad bra! Jag spelar för Limhamn SK!

[@micke7]

vad sjuttsiken, är det en svensk kanal!

[@TopShelfMontana]

dude please get a proper microphone. I have to turn my speakers up to 100 to even hear you.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks, and sorry for this technical issue. I will fix this in my future videos!

[@Demian_R]

​@@Dr.CansClinic Your audio is fine, must be their speakers.

[@forrest842007]

Do you watch while driving your tractor? For me Audio is fine.

[@timespace9982]

Dude its your speaker, not this guy!! His videos audio is perfectly fine so the issue is on your end!! It boggles my mind at how low a persons iq can be🖕

[@winstonsmith5854]

Duude, you should check your ears.

[@premiersportingkc3443]

I started playing two years ago at the age of 30. I play 1-2 hours everyday and I am now a 1700 rated player. Do you think it is realistic for me to one day become a Candidate Master, and if so, how long?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Great achievement to 1700 in 2 years! Is it ELO rating? CM is not an impossible task I would say if you are serious about your training.

[@premiersportingkc3443]

@@Dr.CansClinic Thanks for the quick reply, Dan! Yes, that is my ELO rating. What would you suggest I do then to train seriously so I can reach the CM stage before I'm 40? (I've heard that people deteriorate significantly after that stage in life, so I figure I will have to reach the rank of CM by that age, otherwise it might not be possible).

[@andrewbarber8825]

Great news. Best of luck, not that you will need it. Your friend in Chess, Andrew from Ireland.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much Andy! Thank you for being part of this beautiful journey.

[@ssakgul]

METU Chess Club'tan selam Can hocam. Yıllar sonra tekrar satranca dönüyoruz. Sizin bu eserleriniz çok işimize yarayacak. Videolarınızın yanında herhangi bir sosyal medya ortamından biz Adult Learners için dahil olabileceğimiz gruplar önerebilir misiniz? Çalışmalarınızda başarılar dilerim...

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Cok tesekkurler Soner, iyi dileklerin icin sagol. Satranca donmen cok iyi. Twitter'da chesspunks grubu gayet iyidir tavsiye ederim. Perpetual chess podcast i da tavsiye ederim, bir suru adult improver la soylesi oldu simdiye kadar.

[@southernrun9048]

Our mistakes showing us pathway to improvement…amazing point. Great video

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you :)

[@chriszablocki2460]

Lucky from time to time. That's as good as I'll ever get.

[@countrydirtkid4451]

My 13 year old boy beats his 45 years old dad every single time. I’m very proud of him.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

All the best wishes to him! :)

[@froomerce]

My 10 year old girl does that to me :))

[@supermario1123]

Dr Can is the man! Such great content always. 😊

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks! :)

[@madhatter-]

Interesting - greqat video - I've just taken up chess again having not played any chess since 2010. There are a few things I noticed instantly- There's A LOT of on-line chess. There are a lot of online players who will explain why they did what they did compared to 13 years ago. This might explain why there seem to be more young chess players with high ratings. The other thing I realised was - if I watch a good player play a few games explaining why and then go and play a game myself my board vision is much better and my accuracy goes up significantly. (I definately come under the heading of the older chess player - 30 is a distant memory :))

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for this nice comment. I think you are right, seeing experts thinking out loud is a great way to learn also in other complex domains. I will surely discuss this in one of my future videos!

[@princeofpeaceproductions3506]

Started at 54yo… got to 899 in a year.. 1000 is my goal..but I’m plateauing it seems… definitely can see why being younger is better

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for your comment. Keep up the spirit! :) It is never too late to show progress.

[@greggjahnke386]

Congratulations on your chess and academic accomplishments. I think it would be an interesting cognitive science question to understand why learning is so difficult after age 40. I started at 40 and only got to 1600+ after 10 years. I asked two large tournament organizers if they could remember any player starting after age 40 that got to 2000. Neither could cite a single example. Good luck on your research

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! I have noted down your question and will consider making a video about it in the future.

[@MrSupernova111]

I assure you (without giving away my age) that it can be done. You can go much higher than 2000 if you are determined enough. See my comment below for further thoughts on the matter. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.

[@babstra55]

I started when I turned 30, had played around 5 games tops when I was a child. played daily correspondence chess and did 4-5 hour of tactics daily for first 2 years. got to 1800, then stopped doing tactics. over next few years consolidated that to 2000-ish with mostly playing 5-6h daily. but no serious training. I did dabble on a lot of stuff but it never got to a similar daily regiment as with tactics, and I don't think it made any difference as it was so sporadic. that was 17 years ago and I'm still exactly the same strength. even took an 8 year break starting from carpal tunnel syndrome, started chess again 2 years ago and was at ~2000 in two weeks. (also changed ALL my opening with no effect to strength.) the level of my chess understanding is still extremely shallow and my tactics are bad as well (I drop pieces almost every game and I rarely even count my pawns because they never decide my games). this I'm mentioning for all the lower rated who maybe think 2000s have some magical understanding, because we don't. we're very very bad at every part of the game, we've just done a 100,000 tactical problems more than you. so there's no magic trick here. you don't have to be smart, you don't have to read any books, you don't even have to know your openings. you just have to do the legwork, get the mileage done. which is the hard part. tldr: progress was fast as long as I trained hard daily. after I stopped torturing myself there's been zero progress. but also no loss in strength even after an 8 year break, so whatever you achieve is very hard to lose. it's like riding a bike.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks a lot for taking your time and sharing your progress across the years.

[@babstra55]

​@@Dr.CansClinic yeah no problem. I always try to do that because I remember how starting up I was looking for how others had gotten where they did, especially adult learners.

[@MrSupernova111]

Good points! I think you nailed the reason why most people in general, not just adults, plateau. You need instruction to fill in those knowledge gaps such as better understanding of strategic ideas, positional play, pawn play, endgame theory, and opening knowledge. Clearly, if you fill those knowledge gaps your rating will increase. But it depends on your effort. I see a lot of beginners commenting that they improved hundreds of points by doing x-training program. The truth is that beginners will improve by mere exposure to the game. 1800-2000 elo players is a different story. See my comments below on further thoughts on chess improvement.

[@joshuaday9069]

Enjoyed the video, learned a few things and gained perspective! Also like your speech. If you may in the future make the videos louder, it would make it easier to enjoy.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much! And sorry for this technical issue as I am reawakening the channel. I need to learn chunks and patterns when it comes to improving on this technical side of things :)

[@Guythatsometimescomments]

I started at age 30. My co-worker brought in a chess board and absolutely dominated so I thought it would be fun to learn the game and try to beat him. I bought some chess books, and also hired an online chess tutor. My starting ELO was around 1000. I had a goal to get to 1800 and got there in 2 years. What was interesting is it seemed like my rating would jump, plateau, jump, plateau...etc. Not really a smooth incline. I probably could have continued improving, but after I reached my goal I just started playing a ton of bullet games for fun and I completely stopped studying. After 1800 ELO it seemed harder and harder to improve my game so I just decided to have fun and not put in that much effort anymore. Great game.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your insightful comment! It is quite an achievement to jump from 1000 to 1800 in two years - despite all those plateaus. Can you please tell me a little how your training looked like during those 2 years? Chess can played purely for fun as well as you said :)

[@souperdooper8732]

What I learned from this video is to trust myself. I was able to pick out the solutions to the puzzles very quickly, but when I find myself in similar positions in my games I tend to doubt myself and find ways it won't work, and then I play something stupid like h3.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your feedback! I am happy that the video helped you gaining self-confidence!

[@davidblue819]

I looked at that list of inspiring late improvers. It consisted largely of people who eked out some improvement in early adulthood, say around 20-21, but not the sort of improvement that children get. Chess looks very much like a language.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for your comment. I have also noticed that pattern. Let's see whether that trend will change in the future by the help of all the technological tools at our disposal that may speed up the chess improvement!

[@babstra55]

there are language learning schemes that get you fluent in months, real ones (in contrast to online scams), and what they have in common is they focus heavily on immersing you in the language and forcing to actually talk to people, while skipping over learning grammar and rules and theory. doesn't mean that you'll learn as quickly as small children, but it does show that a lot of these things CAN be forced on your brain even as adults. and that maybe rule/theory based learning isn't a very efficient way to learn things.

[@wisdomseeker3132]

Wao, is it Coincidence? I'm 30 now and just starting to play Chess because of Queens Gambit Series. 😅 I play now for 3 months online chess and my rating now is 1400+. I hope i get better and better. Coz, now i love playing chess. 😊❤

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for your inspiring comment! Wish you all the success in your chess journey - keep the passion! ☺

[@jbxjbx-rt3ju]

I ave been able to overcome the problem of looking at "What is my opponent's threat" but I am having a problem of : Is my candidate move safe ? I seem to e missing that. Simply saying something like take your time or , stop take a break, look at something else, then come back to the position, does not seem be be working for me; relies on will power, but will power loses out, just like it does in diet and exercise. So, what can I do in my training to get me to remember to check and see if my move is safe ? Thanks

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks. I am now working on a dedicated course on the blunder-check. I will give you a checklist to go throught before you execute your move. Stay tuned!

[@nicoterradas]

Your audio is super low, buddy.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Sorry about this technical issue. I have now fixed everything as you can see in my last 2 videos :)

[@KaneODriscoll]

I started playing for the first time ever at 42. Never too old to learn. And I have many different projects going on at the same time.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your comment! It is never too old to learn indeed!

[@Gregor2000252]

Le son est beaucoup trop bas, j'ai arrêté la vidéo après une minute...☹️

[@pauldudley1273]

Nice video, I've been wondering what the key steps are in getting better besides just playing the game a lot. Seems that learning openings + theory, chess puzzles every day and pattern reccognition are all things that weave together to make a player better.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! Yes, we need to work on several different areas to get better. Tactical training is very important. Basic endgames and internalizing the opening principles are also important.

[@MrSupernova111]

See my comments below for my thoughts on the matter.

[@Zenitself]

Anyone experienced a beginner to master journey as an adult? I started at ~1100 in 2015 and am now 1700s. Have been working, got married and have a kid now so it’s been inconsistent but still progress! Hoping to be a >35 master in the next 5-10 years 🤙🏽🔥 analyze your games!!! Play rapid!! Take breaks! QED

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Beautifully put! Thanks for the training advice and all the best to you in your journey!

[@ianarrindell1348]

Yes Lookup NM Philemon he became master as an adult

[@malcolmlowry6118]

Very informative video. However, please increase the volume level as it's so low you need to increase device and player volumes to maximum in order to hear it properly.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you. I will fix this issue in my future videos.

[@eschiedler]

Very good overview of a blend of cognitive science and practical application.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much. That is one of my overarching goals for this channel :)

[@notthesonofwilliam788]

My current method of improvement strongly relies on virtual flashcards on Anki that I create from my own mistakes in my games. I take a screenshot of the position, ask myself on the front of the card why my chosen move was wrong and what alternative move I should have made, and add the correct moves and any relevant patterns and comments on the back of the flashcard. By repeating these flashcards in increasingly long intervals, I'm hoping to build the "chunks" and pattern recognition that I will need to progress. What is your opinion of this method? Have you heard of others using the same strategy?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That sounds really interesting! You seem to combine corrective and epistemic feedback there! It is really great that you explain WHY that move was wrong. I don't know of anyone using this precise method. Please let me know about your progress in the future with this training!

[@maksedits933]

sounds like what the creator of chessable used to do. You may want to look him up

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@maksedits933 David Kramaley I believe?

[@notthesonofwilliam788]

@@maksedits933 Thank you for the suggestion! I'll look him up and see what he was able to achieve using this method. :)

[@notthesonofwilliam788]

@@Dr.CansClinic Thank you so much for giving your opinion! Can I ask what you mean by "epistemic feedback"? So far, I've managed to gain about 150 rating points on Lichess within a few weeks as a beginner and adult learner. I've found that the content and formatting of the flashcards makes a big difference and I'm still working on improving this. For example, I use the same position on the front and the back of the flashcard, but with arrows added on the back. The reason for this is that I want to be able to visualize the entire line (mostly about 2-6 moves) from the initial position in order to play correctly. I want to practice calculating a complete line before making a move. Sorry for rambling a little - I hope it's somewhat of interest :)

[@mwangikimani3970]

You need to understand fairly deeply at least 50,000 positional themes to be at least an FM. Assuming you can play and study at least 3 meaningful 15min games against slightly stronger opposition per day, thats about 10,000 games a year, play another 100 tornament games a year, you can make 2200 in 5yrs with great talent and study. Forget ONLINE blitz till you are 2100 FIDE.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your comment. Interesting insights indeed.

[@dbronx347]

What Super GMs can see in 5 seconds, CMs can see in 15 minutes. That is mind boggling. What CMs can see in 15 minutes, I may be able to see in 15 years!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Haha, don't be too harsh on yourself 😅

[@broken1394]

I'm 53!! Hmmmm ... Never seen the queen's gambit. There's no bad news if you enjoy playing. Viva Mikhal Tal. ⚘️

[@chrisdavidson8525]

Woohoo! Excited to fibd your channel - I have two of your chessable courses and they are gold. A lot of courses do not reach the level of instruction yours do and the fundamental positional concepts that impress me so much in professional games are all there, explained in simple terms. It is very cool - I am starting to look at chess like I actually understand it now.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

You don't know how happy I get after such words. Thank you so much for your support ❤️🙏

[@paultharp4626]

In addition to cognitive capabilities, i think there might be a reluctance to hire a chess coach or pursue any of the normal paths for serious study beyond watching ytube videos, which might inhibit adult learners

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Absolutely, well said.

[@chess-is-life]

Watched fully, subscribed and you truly inspired a medium age player. Hats off mate. Thank you

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your encouraging comment! I am so glad that I have inspired you!

[@123string4]

I started playing November 2022 and I was 400elo. It's now June 2023 (7 months later) and I'm 1500elo. My goal is to get to 2000elo in one year which I know is a lofty goal but I must try! I am 28 years old

[@who-pz4ck]

What did you do to get better. Did you read books, watch videos or not do anything and just analyzed your games?

[@123string4]

@@who-pz4ck analyze games, puzzles, learn a few openings in depth (I play London and Italian as white, Sicilian and King’s Indian as black), play sometimes against weaker opponents and make ballsy sacrifices and practice saving your positions, sometimes trade everything off just to get endgame practice, learn pawn structures (pawns are so so so important, more important than pieces imo), sometimes play with the board flipped (you play from the top) to get used to “playing as your opponent”.

[@hypercubemaster2729]

Is that rating online?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Inspirational! Please let me know here on this comment if you reach your goal in a year :)

[@enPassantWarrior9047]

i got 400 to 1500 in 9 months

[@Travanators]

I’ve been playing for 1 month and I am only slightly better. Still horrible, but slightly better that when I first started.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your response! Keep up the grind! :)

[@ergwer45624]

i guess it's age but i have the volume cranked all up and i can barely hear what you're saying

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am sorry for this technical issue, it has already been brought up many times. I will fix it in my future videos.

[@harshanand901]

is anyne else facing sound issues when using headphones ?

[@pawnpusher]

Where can I find good strategic puzzle books?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Hello! I can recommend my courses on Chessable when it comes to strategic puzzles. But if you are searching for physical books, I can recommend "Positional Chess Handbook" by Israel Gelfer.

[@johnsapplications]

I play bad chess started at 400elo and have been in 950 - 1050 for 6 months . I am 52, played for 1 year about 1-2 hours a week. No study, no puzzles. It's all on me!!! So yes getting serious is the way to go... but I love the game.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for mentioning your progress! It is not a bad development within 1 year, without studying any books or courses!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I just released a course called The Chess Elevator, which is perfectly suited to your level!

[@EliDollinger]

Excellent video. While watching, a few questions came to mind. 1. In your opinion, what is the most effective and efficient way to accumulate chunks and patterns? 2. Is the 12-year-old cut off due to neural plasticity? If so, can activities that influence neural plasticity such as exercise shift that cut-off? 3. You mentioned that a possible explanation for chess mastery being achieved faster is an overall rise in general intelligence in the human population, to what extent does general intelligence carry over into chess intelligence? 4. In your opinion, what is the most effective and efficient way to learn the ideas and themes of openings? 5. How do you find the best classical games to study? Your idea regarding running an experiment to find the optimal training methodology is very interesting and is something that I would very much like to read.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for this great input! They surely deserve a future video. I took a note of your questions.

[@DreadgateTCG]

I'm 44 and I'm just starting to take it seriously. Watch me go all the way.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Way to go! Let me know about your progress! ☺️

[@edl5731]

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today. Will I ever be a grandmaster? Probably not. Am I better today than I was a year ago? Yes. Will I better next year? Probably.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Very well said!

[@frankartieta4887]

Where are you trying to get ? Seems to me ! You could study like Bobby Fischer ! You maybe could be a Bobby Fischer ! Why would you want to be a Bobby Fischer ? Seems to me ! Everything has a price ! Chess is just a board game ! Dedicate every single minute of life to being great at a board game ! Stockfish will still make a monkey of you !

[@Dr.CansClinic]

What a beautiful poem!

[@frankartieta4887]

@@Dr.CansClinic Is it true ?

[@Daniel_Dollinger]

Excellent video. Focuses on the cognitive science where you are the expert. I am looking forward to seeing your training ideas/science for older adults.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you Daniel! I will surely make videos in the future regarding older adults.

[@peterbago4574]

What is the best result an adult learner achieved? Anyone achieved title FM perhaps?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Apparently there is one such person: FM Nathan Rasika. Ben Johnson interviewed him in his podcast. Here is the link: www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2020/12/1/episode-204-fm-nathan-resika

[@tobiass3540]

I started at the age of 30, 4 and half years ago. I had a two breaks of not playing any chess for 6 months each and I actually didn't even train until last spring. I wanted to see, how far I can get, if I actually seriouslyy study and get a coach. My first rating 4 years ago was 1643, 1 year ago it was still 1650, but I obviously hadn't played much. With my last 2 tournaments (tournament 4 and 5 of my chess journey) I went from 1650 to 1781 FIDE. I definitely started improving a lot in the past 9 months. I think 2000 FIDE should definitely be doable. Maybe also something like 2200, if you really study a lot for some years. Obviously I just started improving and can't tell for sure, how high the ceiling is, but I might find out in the future.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring journey! Congratulations on the significant jump you had recently. Just focus on the process instead of the end result, and see how far you will get!

[@tobiass3540]

@@Dr.CansClinic Thank you! Initially I started playing chess, because I was looking for a new hobby. I did a lot of competitve sports in my life, but due to injuries I had to stop and chess is a beautiful game, that you can play until you get old and grey. I also enjoy just spending time with people in the chess club, so there definitely is a social aspect to it. Meeting new people is a wonderful part of the chess journey. Due to my sports backrground ad my nature, I enjoy the competetive part of playing tournaments, but I definitely did not start with the goal of becoming a master or anything like this. I mean, I have some small goals, like reaching 1900 now and then I will go from there and I'm just curious about how far I can get. But I agree, if you don't enjoy the process, it makes no sense to spend time on it. And if you don't enjoy it, you won't have the motivation anyway.

[@josepholiva3674]

Increase volume. Hard to hear.

[@fazzolarijames]

I started at 34 and added 200 rating fairly quickly (from 1300 to 1500 FIDE), but progress is now very slow. Still, it’s a hobby I can age into 🙂

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your comment! Can you please briefly tell me what your training looked like during your journey from 1300 to 1500?

[@fazzolarijames]

@@Dr.CansClinic Sure! It started with getting my openings to a playable state, which was done with books. Nothing too special, just creating files, recording some theory in the major variations then adding to my files overtime. I do use spaced repetition to learn the critical lines where move by move matters. I am for two games a week. Either two online rapid games (15+10 or longer) or one online game plus one OTB classical game (it’s very common in Australia for our classical events to be 1 game a week rather than all games in 1 weekend). Games are always reviewed. First by myself trying to check my calculation and strategy, then compared to master games, finally with an engine. The bulk of my study time is tactical or middlegame puzzles. This is 2-4 hours a week. I’ve recently started doing some “blindfold” training to improve visualisation, taking a position, moving X-play deep in my mind then identifying and solving for tactics. That’s it really! Play a minimal number of games, work really hard on calculation. If I encounter an opening line where I’m totally lost, I’ll put some real hours into learning theory, but otherwise I don’t touch openings much now. I have out a lot of hours into endgames (reading Silman’s book) and do a refresher now and again (I take it on holiday haha) but otherwise I don’t do regular endgame work; just middlegame and calculation work.

[@Jefferson-ly5qe]

Did you have some prior experience with the game? 1300 FIDE seems quite high for a new player

[@fazzolarijames]

@@Jefferson-ly5qe I played online and studied at home for at least six months before playing my first rated event (which went +2 -2 =2) so I didn’t just start at 1300 on day 1, I agree that would’ve been crazy!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@fazzolarijames Thank you so much for your amazing insights! I am sure many upcoming players would find those tips useful!

[@jaimecolodro1588]

Good video mate

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much!

[@eugeniomoccia3917]

At the beginning of the video, it shows a book. Could you kindly state the author and the title?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Absolutely! Thought and Choice in Chess by Adriaan de Groot. A very influential Ph.D. thesis from 1940s.

[@misty7220]

I dont understand why rook c3 is a good move when it will just be taken by a pawn?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for asking! With that move, Black sacrifices the exchange to weaken the white king - as after bxc3 the pawn structure covering the white king is ruined. Is it clear now? :)

[@alexanderfrost2943]

Really a great video. Totally makes sense.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you!

[@kayasper6081]

Content loudness - 20.1dB. Too bad I can´t hear you because of the weak volume, but at least I can read the comments.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks and I am sorry for this technical issue in my reawakening video. It won’t happen in the future.

[@kayasper6081]

@@Dr.CansClinic I just connected my portable computer to an amplifier and some descent speakers, that works better. Very interesting video! I suscribe right now. Thanks for your personal answer.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@kayasper6081 Thank you so much for your effort and for the subscription!

[@grad83]

sound to weeek....

[@Flum666]

you can get to the 2200-2400, never really grandmaster and you wont ever win anything fancy, but if you really apply yourself, you can get far.

[@masonparkman5567]

Great video Can! Glad to see you’ve revived the channel. Looking forward to whats next!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much Mason!

[@AntoineDennison]

Get a better microphone.

[@kikiritkov]

I learned chess 5 years ago at 36 and now at 41 i am 1700 FIDE. My online rating is from 2000-2200.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Great! How did you train chess during those 5 years?

[@kikiritkov]

@@Dr.CansClinic I am very stubborn person. I had a friend who was 1600 online (He is now 2300)and he beat me all the time so i started to watch online videos and solve as many chess puzzles as i can so i developed my tactic skills and my middlegame to some extend.Parellel to that i analyzed almost all my games that i lost with black pieces with lichess analyzer,especialy the openings. Than i started to learn endgames and at the end i started to learn some opening strategies ( I am still not good at this especially with white).PS: This 5 years i play online chess every single day,minimum 1 and maximum 15 games.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@kikiritkov Great story, thanks for sharing!

[@susymay7831]

Excellent material and great timestamps! ❤

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks so much!

[@andrewthompson10]

Based on probability, reaching the highest level is nearly impossible even for people who start as kids.

[@kdub1242]

Regarding the acceleration of the rate of mastership, I don't believe humans have become generally more intelligent. That kind of evolution would take thousands or more years I would think. I believe what is a likely contributor is the selection bias of the human population. Latent talent/interest is being identified through technology (obviously the internet mainly) much more efficiently than in the past. Perhaps in, say, 1985 there were many "sleeping" potential quick chess masters that simply never got introduced to the game.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your valuable insight. That surely is one potential candidate. What I was referring to was the "Flynn Effect" - the apparent rise in IQ scores in the last century. But it is not clear whether that means rise in intelligence or an artefact. Here is a relevant article about this: web.archive.org/web/20161104214157/www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/rising-scores-on-intelligence-tests/99999

[@kdub1242]

@@Dr.CansClinic Interesting. Indeed, it is in some aspects difficult to tell in the "final product" what is newly added potential versus what is further development of an existing potential. Practically speaking, it may not matter much when it comes to a particular individual trying to improve, although the theoretical question is still very intriguing and worth pursuing. btw - I just bought your "Art of" chessable series, and am already enjoying it immensely. I believe the renewed focus it gives me will ultimately benefit my play, although the sheer enjoyment aspect of it is also valuable, just from a hobbyist quality of life perspective!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@kdub1242 Thank you so much for purchasing the Art of Series on Chessable! I hope you will benefit greatly from it. Those positions give me joy and excitement too, that is why I decided to create courses around those :)

[@joerjon]

Tell me it is a scam pls, I’m 1600-1800 strength after 2 years and sort off stuck but growing blabla but I got all these “tests” right after 10sec, okay I already saw the anastasia pattern and saw the najdorf position before but.. guess I need to be patient or he’s just selling himself as a coach lol

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Hello. In nowhere in the video I said these positions test for 'mastery'. They show us typical patterns and chunks from different phases of the game which masters perceive in no time.

[@joerjon]

@@Dr.CansClinic Well now it’s just awkward

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@joerjon Why? If you are a master, you will see those patterns instantly. But this does not imply that everyone who sees those patterns instantly must be masters.

[@christianringsmose392]

Very nice video! Keep them coming :)

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks, will do!

[@kevinwellwrought2024]

Chess is exactly like language when you start it late you can never speak it properly and that is why there are tens of thousands of adult club players who never make it even to 1900 elo.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

This may be one explanation for the finding of the importance of the starting age. But we have to see whether that trend may change in the future with the help of technological tools for chess improvement.

[@kevinwellwrought2024]

@@Dr.CansClinic Technology can be as helpful as in the case of learning a foreign language which means it can only facilitate but can never enable an adult beginner to reach master level. With all the chess software and DVDs etc my adult clubs players have hardly made 50 point in elo rating in the past 15 years but such learning softwares seem to have made a difference in the case of children chess beginners. For example, to reach fluency level in a foreign language a learner 80 years ago had to spend a minimum of four years with a programme of 2 hours practice everyday and the situation is still the same with all the new language learning softwares and tools therefore age is the key factor in chess and language learning/acquisition.

[@wisdomencouraged9326]

​@@kevinwellwrought2024age is an important factor in learning almost anything. In the American educational system our young children are learning basically nothing, it's such a waste

[@benlukaszewski7764]

I started at 37. In 2020, after watching the netflix show queens gambit. I remember learning the game before i was 12 but never took it seriously. Now 3 years after im up and down between 750-900 elo. Am i doomed to stay at this rating?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for your comment! I don't think you are doomed at that rating, as long as you do the work! I will soon release a series on how to reach certain rating milestones. Stay tuned! :)

[@Deadeye1967]

I can't hear you, the sound is too quiet.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

As mentioned, I will fix this technical issue in my future videos - sorry for this.

[@professorx3060]

At 22 I thought I was a late starter, but based on the comments, not really 😅

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That is such a young age! 😅

[@professorx3060]

@@Dr.CansClinic Well, actually now I'm 23, and year after starting at 250 elo I'm 1100 elo. Although I platoed now

[@davidbatchelder85]

I am older, I want to reach elo2000

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Good luck!

[@TigerTzu]

I started playing in 2021 at at the age of 28 around 1100Elo and currently I'm sitting at 2264.

[@ahmednoaman1817]

Wow

[@warnaoh]

Internet is a beautiful place to lie :P

[@hypercubemaster2729]

That is likely equivalent to 1600-1700 OTB if that is an online rating. Still, that is a very good rating after only 2 years!

[@TigerTzu]

@@warnaoh It's an ugly place for jealousy, though.

[@TigerTzu]

@@hypercubemaster2729 You just made that up lmao

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

2000 is achievable by most people if you train well and stay focused, I do believe that. I'm 22 and I started playing about 2 years ago or so, and I'm currently pushing 1700. I'm not training super hard or rigorously, though I am spending probably on average 30 mins per day doing something chess-related, but it's showing great results. I'm certain I can hit 2000 within a year if I stay focused, and I think if you had more time to study you could do it even quicker.

[@hypercubemaster2729]

Is your rating online, or OTB? Online ratings can be as far lower than OTB as about 500-600 ELO.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for this comment, and all the best wishes on your chess journey!

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

@@hypercubemaster2729 My ratings are online in Rapid. I understand that OTB ratings are a few hundred points lower, so I'd expect to be around 1400 - 1500 OTB. I live about an hour away from my nearest chess club, so it's much easier for me to play and learn online.

[@hypercubemaster2729]

@@isaakvandaalen3899 Hey, that's great to hear! 1400-1500 in a couple of years is amazing progress!! Be proud! 😀

[@Jefferson-ly5qe]

That's good progress

[@joshuasiegal]

Loved this video, but you need to work on your volume. I shouldn't need to crank my computer volume to hear you well. There are lots of great resources online on optimizing your audio output for video. Thanks for the great video!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. Sorry for this technical issue on my 're-awakening' video. I will fix the problem in my future videos (the next 2 videos of the clinic already has a better sound).

[@hasb826]

🙏🙏🙏💖💖💖

[@Dr.CansClinic]

❤️

[@ChessJourneyman]

I started playing chess at 33. Was barely 800 ELO without knowing any theory. A month later 1k+. A year and change later 2k+. I barely put any work into chess. Now I need to work on precise theory, advanced patterns, and positional understanding. All very time-consuming. So it's not a matter of age, it's a matter of time and understanding yourself so that you can give yourself good focus points. In addition, it's a matter of mindset. Kids have a chip on their shoulder and are eager to prove themselves, adults rarely. Likewise, adults handle themselves differently than kids. I know so many 20-25 year olds who cry how they are too old to get good. Our brain works the fastest around the age of 16, but the issue is that most people aren't highly intelligent and don't use their brain much. They spend their teens getting drunk 5/7 days a week and they avoid challenging thinking and deep conversations, so their brain speed decreases and by their late teens & early 20s they are already slowbrained compared to someone like Anand at 50 who is intelligent and has been using his brain his entire life.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

What an inspiring progress! Congratulations! Thank you for sharing those observations too. Can you please explain briefly how your chess training looked like until you reached 2000 in around a year? You said you have barely put any work into chess, so I got really curious on which technique has speeded up this process significantly.

[@ChessJourneyman]

@@Dr.CansClinic I kept getting checkmated quickly with traps and gambits. I also had no clue what pieces to move and where in the opening. So I looked for the most "anti-rush" opening, but also an opening I can invest time in long term. I identified the London System as an opening with the least amount of gambits and fast win tactical tricks, but also an opening that's still being improved at a Super GM level, telling me the opening is deep and I could spend decades finding new things to improve in my play. For Black, I tried the French Defense but the blocked in bishop annoyed me and scared me. So I switched to Caro-Kann. Against e4, I used what I called the reverse London, but it's Slav defense. Once I had my openings chosen, I tried to memorize how my pieces should be placed when the opening stage is completed. Didn't worry about the move order too much, just on getting everything set up and then playing chess. My rating immediately improved from 800-835 range to 1000-1050 because people could no longer cheese me. At the same time, I watched Ben Finegold's classes for kids to learn the chess lingo and get introduced to chess culture and thinking. I should also note I played 400 10+0 games in my 1st week of online chess but realized I'm making no progress and needed to improve my chess knowledge and skills. I started doing puzzles, learning basic patterns, trying to understand why a certain move order matters and what the computer wants from me. I struggled for two weeks to reach 1100 but finally broke through. Then I started identifying my blunders. I had a blind spot for playing Ng4/Ng5 early and dropping it to the enemy queen for free. I also kept losing pawns due to tactics and not keeping track of the number of attackers and defenders. Fixing these blunders wasn't a matter of me deciding I won't let it happen now that I know about it. Instead, I had to give myself mental checkpoints in the opening stage - "now is the time you blunder a pawn (or a minor piece), use more brain power to watch for it." It was difficult at first and I still kept making the same blunders but less because I was actively trying to avoid them in those key moments. Two weeks later or so, I reduced those blunders a lot, improved my opening move orders, and hit 1300 on chesscom and roughly 1500-1600 in puzzles on Lichess (maybe 1700 but can't remember now). The entire time I would say I spent 55% time playing, 40% doing puzzles, and 5% learning theory. After 1300, I kept identifying my weakest points, blunders, and blind spots. As I fixed these issues and made less and less blunders throughout the game, I reached 1600. My knowledge and understanding of chess in general improved by zero amount from 1300 to 1600, it was all just identifying one recurring blunder at a time and focusing on not making it again. At 1600, I realized I need a more precise opening move order to respond properly to my opponents and get more out of the opening stage for myself. GM Simon Williams was great to learn the basics, but I switched completely from him to IM Eric Rosen. And any other source I could find on KZbin and Twitch. As my opening knowledge improved, I reached 1750 roughly in about six months (it would take me another 6-8 I think to hit 2000). Then I started doing puzzles more. I would say 60-70% puzzles and 30% playing. I hit 1900 but couldn't go further. So kept improving opening knowledge and doing puzzles. Still wasn't enough because the games would be equal and hard to push for a win. As a side note, during this entire journey, I played maybe 5000 games total or less. And did puzzles on my phone whenever I was bored or in the mood for it. I also went once or twice a week to a local chess club to play OTB casual blitz. And after my first two months of chess, I joined a chess club to compete in the national league. Back to the progress, so I was stuck at 1900. I stopped playing bullet (which I started playing when I became 1500/1600+ in rapid) and focused on 5+0 and 10+0 only. I started learning the endgame more. I broke 2000 thanks to one trick - eating a "sideways" pawn in a pawn chain in the endgame with a minor piece/rook because you regain material by taking an enemy rook if they take back with a pawn. That was it. I started winning equal endgames and broke 2000. I solved 20-30 puzzles every day, sometimes 100+ and played ten or so games, sometimes 50+. And I spent a fair bit of time watching Jonathan Schrantz' lectures, GM Ron Henley's London games analysis, GM Lamos opening videos, IM Alex Astaneh's videos (amazing), and GM Naroditsky's speedrun. I also attended a few 3am GM Akobian's endgame classes and watched his other recorded lessons (I learned b+k mate the easiest with his video on it). In addition, I followed all of the major online chess events, watching the live streams with GM commentary (Leko is amazing, Hess & Danya, IM Almira Skripchenko is a joy to follow through her flow of thoughts, etc.). Aftermath: After breaking 2000, I realized I didn't really know a single long line of theory. I bought Chessable courses to learn the theory (GM Erwin L'ami's Caro-Kann but it's all Lc0 lines, and IM Alex Banzea's London). Combined with solving puzzles, I peaked at 2100 on chesscom and 2300 on lichess. My FIDE rating was and is atrocious. I was 1534 since I jumped into OTB as a total rookie. Now it's 1596 or something since we barely play a few games a year. My best wins were against one CM and a few 1900-2000 players. I also have brain fart moments in OTB sometimes, especially if I try to study theory the day before a match, I'll play horribly and blunder in the opening. My first chess team had no team spirit, no sessions together, etc. So I changed teams. My current team is led by a 40+ years old 2k+ FIDE professor of architecture and arts. We have one more 2k+ in early 20s. Other guys and one girl are 1600-1900, all in their 20s. I'm also currently getting coached by IM Matvey Galchenko, who is amazing. I switched to Semi-Slav a few months into working with him and used it to draw in OTB classical format against a solid CM. We do 1h of coaching per week. Sadly, I don't do much work on my own due to life being life, so I plan to make more progress in the near future.

[@hypercubemaster2729]

@@ChessJourneyman That's a lot of work, but a near 1600 FIDE rating is very respectable in a year! I still need to start playing in OTB tournaments so I can find out where I'm at. I drew my Square Off engine at 2100+ once, have beaten the 1700 engine multiple times, and have beaten in OTB my friend that is 1700 USCF many times, so I wonder where I will level out at. I've been playing for 26 years, though, so my progress is much less impressive than yours, even if I only got serious about it within the last 5 years!

[@ChessJourneyman]

@@hypercubemaster2729 @hypercubemaster2729 It's all relative. I meant I didn't have a disciplined regime like when you are studying at college or training seven days a week in a sport. Elite kids spend all of their free time on studying chess and improving. I pushed the climb in the first 1.5 years. Then spent 1.5 years not playing as much or doing any training. Now in my 4th year hired a coach to push again, making slow, small improvements. I think we can all improve regardless of age if we identify good focus points, things we want to work on, etc. I know people who have played chess for decades but don't ever think about their strengths and weaknesses, never focus their effort on something, they just play aimlessly. Like being in a canoe and smashing the paddle on the water's surface. You'll spend so much energy and get nowhere in particular, just drift around. But if you paddle with a direction in mind, you'll get that canoe going. So I wouldn't be too hard on yourself if you just played chess for years without any real goals or aspirations. Now that you have them, you'll certainly improve. As for OTB chess, especially 90+30, the biggest shock for me was how every opponent was extremely solid. I could no longer just make moves and wait for a big blunder like in online chess you often can. It still happens obviously, but I mean for example a 1504 FIDE guy made my teammate who is 1900 FIDE struggle for 2h before he finally managed to beat him 😂😂😂 He was mad at himself for it, but I'm like dude, it doesn't matter how weak your opponent's rating is on paper when his moves on the board are strong. Anyway, feel free to respond here in the future on your progress, would love to hear about your first OTB experience.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@ChessJourneyman Wow, thank you so much for sharing your inspiring story! Thank you for taking your time and sharing those details with us. I am sure it will give inspiration to other ambitious players!

[@Reneker]

I'd like to give feed-back, if the volume on this video could be a little louder somehow, it seems more quiet then other youtube videos, great tips and info tho

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. Yes, the sound is low unfortunately - it won't happen again in my future videos!

[@Bassboin]

great video

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much!

[@RayRay-mt6vb]

im 44 and just started a few weeks ago. I'm ranked 1200 and have lots to learn, but I think I really understand the concepts that im missing. I have very basic endgame pattern knowledge, I make lots of blunders particularly as the game gets older and more exchanges have occurred, and my calculation depth struggles past a few moves because the variations just get exponentially too many and I cant see what my opponent's best responses are. However I'm practicing an opening with white and black with analysis mode vs a fairly strong 2000 rated bot, and using take backs to explore patterns in those two openings, and getting quite good at finding the best or good moves before any exchanges occur. I'm getting better at getting a feel for when to initiate early exchanges and come out with an advantage, but still really struggle exploiting that advantage towards the endgame. I know i need to expand my opening variations, and work really hard on endgame ideas to become a much better player. Just subscribed. I'm looking for a group of similar players and a coach, though I cant afford to pay for lessons.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your response and the subscription! This channel will hopefully provide a good community for people like you. I am planning to do a live session at some point in the future, with questions from the viewers.

[@TheMooninvader]

I started seriousely at the age of 44 two years ago, and I am aiming for 2000 ELO

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Good luck with your journey!

[@MrSupernova111]

As a late starter myself I can tell you that anyone can reach 2200 USCF and maybe FIDE. I reached 2000 USCF within a few years and with little theoretical knowledge which means that I got there mostly by means of brute calculation - tactics and calculation are my strengths. However, I soon realized that the gap in theoretical knowledge and pattern recognition is holding my game back. I'm currently working on those other areas and I fully intend to break 2200 USCF and beyond (maybe in 1-2 years). I'm either playing or studying chess almost on a daily basis. A coach can also make a huge difference for those serious about improving. But for now, I'm learning on my own until I hit a plateau. If you're late to the game don't worry. Study hard, play at least weekly, and be smart about how you spend your time. I would advice my beginner self to focus on these key areas: checkmate patterns, calculation, and strategy. If you cover those three you can easily get to the 1600-1800 range. Then work on your endgames and opening knowledge. That should get you to 2200.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for taking your time and writing this encouraging post! I am sure you will inspire many adult improvers. You have mentioned you reached 2000 USCF mostly by brute calculation and tactics. Can you please describe a little more how your tactical training looked like during this period? Were you solving many puzzles/day? Were they mostly pattern recognition puzzles or deep calculation? Were you doing any woodpecker with those? Thanks!

[@MrSupernova111]

@@Dr.CansClinic . Hello, I started playing chess 5 years ago before the explosion of online chess content and learned to play in what is perhaps an unorthodox method. I would say the bulk of my training consisted of deep calculation. In my personal OTB games I don't make a move until I can calculate relevant ideas at least 6 moves deep (12 depth). I don't leave things to chance and because I've been doing this for several years, I'm naturally faster than average at detecting tactical ideas and calculating accurate lines. More specifically, for the first 2-3 years the bulk of my "study" would consist of watching game reviews/analysis from channels like thechessnetwork, matojelic (now school of chess), and agadmator. After watching the games I would set up key game positions on a physical board and sit there until I could calculate the full combination with all relevant variations without moving any of the pieces. Some exercises would take me upwards of one hour and I would often calculate 9-10 moves deep. This thought me calculation techniques such as compartmentalizing my analysis in my head. I also had a mental checklist for every move to prevent silly blunders and to find a better moves. In short, I rarely did any standalone puzzles. In fact, I recently completed a course on checkmate patters. Many of the mating patterns were new to me. Imagine the embarrassment learning checkmate patterns as an online 2200 player. Its not that I can't calculate the patterns but if I'm not aware of the pattern then I have to work harder OTB to find them. Today, I can find them instantly. Over the past year or so I started doing some standalone puzzles but I'm not a fan of doing random puzzles. I'd rather work on puzzles by theme to improve my pattern recognition. That said, I have so much to learn that I feel that deep calculation will only get me so far and I find it more effective to work on my weaker areas. Before this past couple of years, I didn't have any formal training. In my games I would play basic opening principles that I learned from random places. Recently, I completed opening and endgame courses but I still have a lot of work to do in those areas. This year I'm working on my weakest areas which are strategic play, positional play, and pawn play. Then I plan to go back and improve my opening theory, and endgame technique. I prefer to read a hard copy book with a physical board. While studying I save key positions, games and personal annotations in lichess studies for review. I review my notes regularly to make sure I don't forget them. I estimate that it will take me about a year to go through all the new material. After that, I'll just need to fine tune my techniques and I see no reason why I can't reach 2200 OTB USCF and 2400 online. If I made it this far with such a handicap there is no reason why someone of average intelligence can't reach 2200+ (at least online) by focusing on the right things. A good coach would also be very beneficial to those who want to accelerate their training but I'm learning a lot on my own and don't plan on getting a coach at the moment. I hope this helps anyone looking to improve.

[@DarthMessias]

And how do you know you weren't just a natural talent in the game?

[@MrSupernova111]

@@DarthMessias . I'm not sure what that means. I believe that all knowledge is acquired - hence its not natural in the sense that I was born with it. Perhaps, something in my brain clicked early in my chess career but it doesn't mean that others can't acquire the same knowledge.

[@DarthMessias]

@@MrSupernova111 The issue is the classic fallacy: If I can do it, anyone can do it. That is just an absurd statement as nobody is like you thus you can't say anyone can reach 2200 USCF because you did it. Natural talent exists, not in a sense that you were born with the rules, but that you have flair for learning the game, usually by easily remembering and visualising chess positions. Such potential doesn't necessarily disappear when you age, which explains your quick rise. People should really stop running around screaming "anything is possible!" when studies have shown the opposite for years. We are limited by natural abilities including our brains capacity to solve various task. Some have a brain built for chess, others for music, math, language and so on. Life is about playing to that strength, not pursuing illusory gold at the end of a beautiful rainbow.

[@Chessdrummer83]

Just to add to the comment on sound, my hearing is fine and it is a bit low I think its worth turning the mic up for sure. Great video however thank you!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for the feedback and I am sorry for this technical issue. I have now solved it as you can see in my last two videos :)

[@nicholass.]

Thank you very much. It was very informative for me. I'm in my early 40ies, enjoying the game...

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Many thanks for your comment, glad it was helpful. The game is so beautiful indeed...

[@iceicebaby6980]

Good news, I got the first and last puzzle quickly. Bad news, I'm 105 and started 4 years ago.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Solving the last one quickly means you are on the right track in raising your floor! If you stop giving away games due to not seeing the threat or not checking for blunders, your rating will surely reflect this progress!

[@jjr6929]

What book is that?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thought and Choice in Chess.

[@snowblack9]

I started at the age of 41. I Can only give Lichess Ratings. After 3 Months: Bullet 1150, Blitz 1250, Rapid 1300. After 2 Years and 6 Months: Bullet 1650, Blitz 1600, Rapid 1550. Self-Learning, no chess club, no teacher. Playing / studying an insane amount of 1 hour / day. As an adult beginner, you have to train harder and/or gain less, but independent from age and chess: The biggest mistake is not starting something. If you dont start right now, you probably wont go anywhere, and if you go, you will improve, and the harder you train, the more you gain. Improving yourself will spark joy. Hope that helps. Oh, and i couldnt solve any of your puzzles, but that means ive lust learned/trained those new patterns, thank you!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for these valuable insights! Beautiful improvement over the years and such consistency! Quality over quantity - 1 hour/day of intense training may be better than passive exposure for longer periods. Improvement indeed brings joy and motivation to go further - even though the aim should not necessarily be to become a titled player.

[@snowblack9]

​@@Dr.CansClinic its less of a goal, more of an addiction ;) seriously: goal is to be better than yesterday.

[@johnupper5225]

'A 2% chance of reaching IM+ level when starting chess after the age of 12'... ?! @3:30 Could you explain how you got that estimate? Problem: The data we'd need would include all the people who started after 12 and studied well, but did not reach IM+ level. Has anyone collected such data? We'd need this data because even if 2% of IMs started after the age of 12 (which I doubt), that would show only that 2% of the most successful players started after 12, not that 2% of _all_ the people who start chess after 12 reach IM, or even that 2% of the people who start after 12 and study extremely hard _and_ efficiently reach IM+ level. PS: "after 12" is a very large range, including all those who started after 20, after 40, and after 60; surely they don't all have a 2% chance of becoming IM+ players?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your question. I refer you to read the first scientific article written in this video description. psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-23020-013 There you will see in detail how the statistical analysis was conducted to reach that conclusion.

[@johnupper5225]

@@Dr.CansClinic It's behind a paywall. IIRC, I read it years ago, but don't recall such optimistic conclusions about the probability of becoming an IM+.

[@josephoregan7385]

audio is low.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Sorry for this technical issue. I have now solved the problem and my final two videos are clean :)