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How did you improve beyond 1500?

For anyone above a rating of 1500 I'm wondering how you improved at this stage?

Also how would you describe your chess knowledge at this 1500 stage compared to your chess knowledge at your current rating?

And if anyone would like to play chess with me, even if you are a lot stronger than me, I would love to do that.

If anyone is below 1500 and has something to say, then please feel free to do so as well.
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Playing a whole bunch of blitz won't make you a significantly better chess player when it comes to longer time controls or deep understanding. Sure after several hundreds or thousands of games you might improve a couple hundred points due to improved speed and pattern recognition, but who knows how long that might take--not to mention you're almost guaranteed to stagnate at a rating and develop blitz habits that make it difficult to improve beyond that rating.

In my experience, if you want steady high-level improvement (and potentially fast, depending on how quickly you can learn/apply new information), you gotta read up on strategic principled play in the middlegame and learn basic endgame techniques. Then in your blitz (or even longer time controls!) games, make a deliberate effort to use your newly acquired knowledge as frequently as possible. At your level, don't worry about opening theory so much--as long as you know the basic principles of the opening.

I've played chess seriously for less than 3 years on and off and I'm rapidly approaching that point where I can compete with expert and master players.
Also, whenever you can, play opponents stronger than you. Losing to these players will more quickly allow you to learn how to play at their level. Don't worry too much about winning or losing; just focus on playing good moves and applying strong strategy/technique.
I agree with DragonDawgs but would also add:

practice tactics to the list - say five to ten a day. Don't do too many and become careless (like me)

I would also spend the time to go through the games of a favourite or great player.
At your level, solving tactics is the best thing to do! Do as many as you can and you'll get better soon. Try not to play blitz games too often and try to play classical games instead! Also, only play against better opponents and try to analyse your losses.
Whether you're over or under an arbitrary rating ... you'll always be infinitely stronger than the next guy.
Here are some of my tips (some of you have mentioned them already though)

1) Keep away from bullit an play longer time controls the longer the better.
2) Do lots of tactics, try to complete a certain amount per day say 10. Work on quality not quantity.
3) Analyse your games but before you ask the engine to analyse your game, run over the game yourself and see how many mistakes you can spot. If you content that you have spotted all your mistake ask the engine for an analysis. See how many you got right.
4) Don't work to much on opening and end theory at the moment that will come later.

I hope these tips work for you.
Good luck and have fun.

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