Milestone: 1500 on Chess.com Rapid
Prior to this afternoon, 31 December 2025, my last Rapid game on Chess.com was in April. Opponent in that game blundered mate in one on move thirteen, and my rating rose to an all-time high of 1497. Part of the reason for my reluctance to play since then was environmental in nature, namely the absence of reliable wifi and of sufficient energy, but another part was insecurity. What changed today was being alone at work and fully alert. And, it being the last day of 2025, the risk of a loss was offset by the prospect of entering 2026 having finally crossed the 1500 mark. Chess.com paired me with one jafarkarimi706, rated 1497 out of Iran, and after seven moves the game was over. jafar blundered his queen, conceded the game, and my rating soared to 1539. After 3...e5 , 4.Nf3 or 4.d5 ? Despite its brevity, there were two instructive moments in the game. Assigned the white pieces, I opened with 1.d4 , and after 1...d5 2.c4 dxc4 we were in Queen's Gambit Accepted territory. I c...