Day 461: Playing chess every day until I reach a 2000 rating 

I don’t have negative thoughts about your rating woes, I just like watching a relaxing dude do his best

I've been playing chess on and off for years, and I have almost 3000 games on lichess. We are similarly rated, so for me it's just great to watch someone of equal caliber doing well, or even seeing mistakes as opposed to just watching pros play all the time. It feels human and humble, and I love that about this channel. Please keep going!

Don't give up Patrick! I really enjoyed watching your brain work doing puzzles and explaining the thought process out loud - maybe you could make a few episodes dedicated to just that?

My viewing experience is unaffected by whether you win or not. People come to watch YOU play, Patrick. You are your own selling point as a kind, chill and down to earth guy just doing his best to play and try to improve in chess :) There is also a bonus for being a 3000 elo father, as well :) Keep going, and do not feel discouraged! And good luck with all the stuff you mentioned going on in your life :)

Watching you play chess is like deja vu all over again. You play the same opening and yet make the same mistakes, not developing the knight to prevent the queen check. But your opponents are so bad they will blunder and you win.

"Nothing like peace and quiet in the house." I had to laugh. For me, those sounds just make me smile. Kids, dog, doing stuff, being happy, being kids and dogs, that makes me happy. It almost looked like you played better during the activity. So don't let this channel be about you needing to win. Let it be about you, enjoying yourself, doing something you enjoy, a stress relief. You will gradually get better, and the wins will just happen. I do like your idea about doing puzzles by the way. Even there, we saw you stop at the sounds of child activity, and SMILE. It makes me think about our cat. In the middle of the night, we will sometimes hear a plastic ball with a bell inside it rolling down the hallway. We just smile, and fall immediately back asleep.

Enjoy your kind demeanor and seeing your struggles and also your triumphs. Relatable

I very much enjoy your content. Chess is up and down for everyone who played the game. For most, it comes in and out of our lives….taking breaks when we get busy….. your helping lots of people…. I especially like that you explain your thought processes….. have fun….don’t be so hard on yourself…. And remember you have fans because we enjoy your videos

My mind tends to race at night and your videos help to clear my thoughts so I can go to sleep so I would continue watching regardless of your rating. People have all sorts of mental stimulating daily hobbies that don't shove a number in your face like puzzles in a newspaper. Obviously the goal is to improve but I think what matters is if you enjoy the daily routine.

You ask our experience of watching you. I tuned in when you were in the 1500s. Attracted to your vibe, the music, and watching a level of chess not too far above my own, so relatable unlike watching the top GMS. Of course it's been sad watching the slide down to the 1300s, the blunders, throwing won positions, the time trouble, all that. Wanted to yell at the computer at times. I know you set the goal of getting to 2000, which, honestly, does not look like it's in the cards any time soon, if ever. But don't worry about that. You may or may not have set the goal of entertaining people, but in any case you have succeeded at that. I admire your guts in putting yourself out there, triumphs, warts and all, for all to see and many to criticize. I'll keep watching.

always by your side Patrick, wins or losses! love the process and watching you on your journey

I had been a bullet addict for years but your vids inspired me to play the 10-minute games, and I've gone from about 1000 to 1468! My sense is that just playing simple good moves is the way at this level. No blunders! Let your opponent do the blundering.

I couldn't care less about your rating, I watch for my own suffering as I watch in pain you make mistakes. And it's fun to celebrate your great moves as well. It's become my morning routine to watch your vids once I wake up. I hope you start using the rooks sometime soon, they are useful pieces! And personally I think you need to return to blitz, you're gonna make a million mistakes before you reach your goal of 2000. Blitz could help you get rid of half of them. Best wishes from Finland!!

This is part of the morning routine, wins or losses. Although, the sense of dejectedness has been hard to watch. I’d definitely be interested in a puzzle series to help give you a break from the journey while still learning and producing content

Been watching daily for a while now. The struggle has been interesting and very relatable. As things are getting worse for you, I find myself more curious about how you will cope. It's becoming less about chess and more about dealing with failure and disappointment.

Realy enjoy your content. Also feels like Im getting to know you a little after watching +100 of your games. Win or lose is not always the important thing in life the important thing is to have a good journey :-). Keep going! Chin up!

back in business!

Honestly rating doesn’t matter to me - I’ll always tune in. I think your niche is that you’re calm, relatable, and just overall a good dude. I will say, if the daily uploads are actually impeding your progress, diminishing your drive to play, and most importantly impacting other avenues of your life then maybe take a step back and do 3-4 uploads per week. In my eyes there shouldn’t be a pressure to play every day. You’re human, and give yourself that grace! Much love & good vibes your way 🤙

Glad to see you using the extra time to do puzzles. Nice win.

Love watching you play! Just make sure to take a second look before every move so you don't hang a piece. That's when you usually blunder. Otherwise, you often play above your rating. Also, watch that clock!

I really love being able to come back every day to see your games.

Ultimately I think everybody has a ceiling rating, depending on their natural aptitude, and how much time they are able/willing to put into serious study. At the end of the day your rating is just a number, and there will always be someone higher. At 1400, it maybe doesn't FEEL like very good, especially compared to the huge world of the internet, but you're still in the TOP 5% of chess players, which probably good enough to appear like a god to all your casual playing friends. So you should be proud of that, even if it is your ceiling. Personally I've had several extended dips of 200 elo points down where I struggle to get back to my peak and feel like smashing my phone/computer. I tend to go on tilts where I think "I'm playing opponents 200 points below me, I should easily crush them", and then I play fast and careless, and lose even more. Its at those moments where I have to take a break and only come back when I'm ready to put the care into my games that I do at my peak. And it's then that I will usually quickly climb again, and maybe even break new ground.

Still finding the videos entertaining, i like the chill style of video and often watch while having breakfast. I've thought about quitting at times too but I'm happy I didn't, the work is always worth it in the end

I think at your level it's great to get some knowledge of the basic themes in an opening. Today you knew some basic principles of Vienna and did a good job developing all your pieces to your advantage. Your opponent did poorly in that regard and got himself into trouble. When you know the themes you make quicker moves, avoid common traps and know how to make progress in a given opening.

It’s very validating for me to watch the journey. The puzzle format is a good idea too I think.

Just a pleasure to watch chess , with zen music and a chilled out dude ....

The puzzle was intresting

Love watching your videos everyday, win or lose

Keep up the good work Patrick!!!!!

nice relaxed video. less toxic than last couple of days :)

Thanks for doing the puzzle! I would like you to keep doing. As far as your ELO is concerned, i find it irrelevant, i just like watching you play chess.

Every month I come back here to cope with being in the high 1800 on cc rapid

I have an idea you might like to try: spend your time focusing on your opponents perspective. What would they do? And what wouldn’t they want you to do? Focus on their side

Part of my morning routine, please do you though. If you need a break take it. Hope you come back!

It is good to see that other people struggle too. You are at the moment like 300 ELO points higher than me. I am thinking every two days I should quit chess. Although I have brief moments of enlightenment chess made me realize that I am an idiot. :-) I maybe should stop playing instead of constantly reminding myself with (almost) every game how inattentive and stupid I am going through the world. OR: I should run with this insight and try to work on it. Greetings from Germany.

my viewing experience is that I get dumber every time I watch your video but its good cause i feel too smart most days. but you are very handsome to look at, validating the stereotypes.

Good game 🎉

you can’t keep forgetting to play nf3, luckily the opponent didn’t punish it.

Now you can’t stop winning 🎉

Keep it up!

Making that mistake on move 3 of the Vienna gambit, as someone who is “studying openings” and mainly plays the Vienna gambit, is kinda bad.

Please stop doing d4 instead of Nf3, you always blunder that queen check. Go patrick!

take a break for 2 months, watch some video maybe. When you return you will miss chess. the new energy and insights will make a big difference.

Watching you struggle with that puzzle was really hard to watch.

Instead of doing puzzles, why don't you play vs computer rated 2000+. You need reps brother, play fast vs computer. Try playing bullet games so when you go to 10min you feel like you have all day.