In June I will play in an Orlando tourney - my first USCF rated games in over 30 years.
My last rating (July 1982) had me at
2024. I’v been in the 2100’s few years earlier.
This event will give me a chance to see if I’ve lost it completely.
Please wish me luck. These 10-year-olds are terrifying!
Dan
Good Luck in your comeback! I took off most of a decade (the 90’s), then started playing again (also with a 2000+ rating), watched it go down to my 1900 floor but now I’m on the verge of breaking 2000 again. It might be a little frustrating at times after such a long layoff but just remember to enjoy the game!
Best of luck. I would be in the same position as you if I were to resume my “career”. I was 2100 at my best, dropped to 2034 when I last played (year 1994), and am constantly thinking of hitting the comeback trail at an advanced age compared to the average player.
I’ve been talking with the kibitzers on ICC during the last year while watching top tournaments (and the WCC match), and perhaps I can give some advice, I’ve drawn some conclusions:
1. Needless to say, try to avoid THEIR openings. Some of them pore over the opening books and computer lines. You don't want to be caught there. Their memory and study is probably better than "us". You're not going to win that theoretical battle. I wouldn't play what the current style of opening is (semi-slav, etc), chances are these players are studying them in depth to be "in style".
2. I had several arguments with young players on position evaluation, to the point where some of them threatened to "ignore me". Many of them try to evaluate like a computer. They think nothing of something like bad pawn structure if they cannot see an immediate line that loses due to that bad pawn structure. So I believe you can reach positions where you have certain long-term advantages (such as better pawn structure, or a pawn majority not active yet, things like that), that don't show themselves in immediate calculating lines. I know this is general observation, and not always achievable at that, but I would aim for such positions.
Let us know how you do. It could affect my decision on whether to stage a "comeback" myself. Best of luck.
I would like to add some advice to the previous post. In avoiding the latest opening theory, you should still put some effort into preparing your own openings. Don’t go in thinking you can “wing it”, even against 1800’s. You don’t have to be booked up…just be prepared by taking advantage of tools that weren’t around 20 years ago (ChessBase, Chess Assistant, etc…).
I’ve reviewed some of my games from the 80’s when I was over 2100 and I’m amazed at how limited my opening knowledge was (that was also true for many of my opponents). Things are a little different these days. One of the reasons my rating has finally started to go back up is that I’m becoming much more familiar with openings that I play.
Good luck and let us know how it goes!