The 64 Squares

I played my first game of chess on January 11, 2024. At the time, I didn't know much beyond how the pieces moved. Like any new discipline—whether it's calculus or coding—the beginning was humble. I spent the first few months just trying to understand the board, often learning the hard way through quick defeats. But the logic of the game hooked me. As a mathematics student, I found a satisfying rhythm in the tactics and the probability of the endgame.

The Grind (and The Graph)

If you look at my rating graph, you’ll see a long, flat plateau through most of 2024 and early 2025. This was the "grind." For nearly a year, my rating hovered without much movement. I was playing, but I wasn't necessarily seeing the board yet.

It wasn't until late 2025 that things started to click. Maybe it was the discipline from my academic schedule or just the accumulation of pattern recognition, but my understanding of the game shifted. The graph spiked. I stopped just reacting to my opponent's moves and started planning my own.

The Milestone

After 1,800 games and countless hours of analysis, I finally broke through the four-digit barrier, achieving a peak Rapid Rating of 1016. It might not make me a Grandmaster, but it marks the transition from a beginner to an intermediate player—a testament to consistency over raw talent.

Current Status

Currently, I have put my chess hobby in sleeping mode. I'm no longer maintaining streaks or aggressively rank pushing. Instead, I play for fun occasionally, enjoying the game without the pressure of the grind.