Gerry1970 wrote on 08/21/08 at 19:52:09:


Well, what I really meant is that I found it important to prepare better myself.  I can't really improvise well without winding up in time-trouble at modern time limits.

Quote:


I'm not sure.  Elo-type ratings systems often experience deflation over time, because new players typically enter at a low rating, improve and get a higher rating, and eventually drop out, taking the gained rating points with them

There are various tools for combating this deflationary tendency (in the USCF system, bonus points for good performances, and rating floors are the  main tools), but these can cause ratings to inflate over time.

In the early 1990s, USCF was very concerned about inflation, so tehy fiddled with their use of these tools.  At the same time, scholastic chess took off, leading to many thousands of players going through the system very quickly.  Many of these young players had dramatic rating gains, so a lot of rating points exited the system.  Result:  rapid deflation in the later 1990s.

Since then, USCF fiddled with the system a little more, and ratings seem to be more stable overall now.

So, if you stopped playing tournaments in 1995-2000 and just came back, part of your rating decline might be attributable to the general deflation.

Gerry1970 wrote on 08/18/08 at 03:02:31:


Well, I was away from tournaments from 1991 to 2003.  When I came back, I dropped about 120 points, and since 2006, I've gotten about 50 of them back.  A couple of points:

1) because ratings have inertia, that 120 point drop meant I was playing at least 200 points worse when I returned.  My current rating (about 70 points below my 1990 level) seems quite stable now.

2) I'm in the USA, and USCF ratings deflated 50 to 100 points during the period I was away, so arguably my actual loss is much smaller than it appears.  I have a feeling from your other posts that you're American as well, so you might be experiencing this effect too.

Because time controls are faster now than when I was active beofre, opening preparation is much more important (to avoid time-trouble).  Because I was in my mid-40s when I returned and think more slowly than when I was young, I had to change my style pretty radically.  I can't expect to out-calculate anyone anymore;  the endgame is my friend now.

Hello All:

Thanks for the In Formation. Looks like it could get worse! It seems so unfair, whine, whine.

What I am now wondering is if anyone has got the points back? Thinking about this not due to the hiatus but also the Soltis idea. Plus I'm over 50 so the age factor will have some effect.

At the same time the break allowed me to spend some serious time studying openings and I must say I enjoy this part of the game a lot more now.

Thanks,

Gerry

I had the same experiences after returning froman 8-year break..
I entered a G/120 tournament, 2 games per week.. I managed to do 50% with +3=1-3

2 out of the 3 losses were due to a blunder made at the 3rd hour of play and yes positionally I was OK, but tactically had problems myself..

On the second tourney I have switched to solid unambitious lines with white and did +3=1-0 with white and survived with black doing +1=1-1

What helped me a lot apart from switching to solid/unambitious lines was to not sit at the board so much.. This led to not being exhausted at the 3rd hour..

Similar situation happened in the 3rd tourney and during the 4th tourney I was finally able to sit at the board most of the time and played some wild openings as well, even a grunfeld..

So I guess it's just a matter of time

I think it depends on the individual, but I would be surprised if there wasn't a dip in almost all cases. 

I had a 5 year break, after which I had more like a plummet than a dip. I found that my positional sense was still there, but my tactical vision had atrophied and a lot of games were thrown due to this, which reduced eventually, although I couldn't say I'll ever stop blundering 

Don'y let your rating bother you, just play chess and your rating will take care of itself 

Hello All:

I was out of chess for 10 years. (I notice quite a few others have been away too.). In a period of 4 months I played 16 OTB games and my rating dropped 63 points. Blundering pieces in two early games obviously doesn't help. Not blundering pieces now so things are not as bad.

I am assuming a dip is to be expected. Is this a typical dip?

Has anyone had such a dip and recovered the points over a period of time?

Just curious. Thanks.

Gerry