Sleep, ratings, and paperwork

First, note that there is now a blog for the Carolina Cobras, a team in the US Chess League.

I really need to recalibrate my circadian rhythm as I am tired all the time, staying up until the wee hours of the morning. Good habits in the areas of sleep, nutrition, and exercise are important off-the-board facets of chess improvement.

I hit a rating high with my secret ICC account. Not 1500 yet, but starting to taste it (I hit 1443). I need to remind myself that it doesn't matter. Whenever I hit a "milestone" I start to worry about my rating, start to think that I shouldn't play because I don't want to lose, that I should study tactics or openings for a week and then come back more likely to win. Screw that crap. It's a game. It's for fun. The way to improve is to lose. A lot. Also, that strategy just does not work. I get better when I play a lot. When I take time off to "study" chess I always come back rusty and actually play worse. The best approach is more balanced between study and play.

Also, a boring "administrative" question for the Knights Errant. How do you feel about adding one more duty to the Secretary Knight? Namely, the Secretary needs to maintain the FAQ and provide a link on the sidebar? If I don't hear any objections, I'll update the FAQ to reflect this change.