https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blogVlad_G92's Blog2026-02-17T18:35:06.497Zhttps://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/why-chess-ratings-dont-mean-what-they-used-to/tVDQ1LiL2026-02-17T18:35:06.497Z2026-02-17T18:35:06.497ZWhy chess ratings don't mean what they used to<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Deep geographic fracture between Europe and Asia, showing that a 2000 rating in Europe could be equivalent to 1700 in Asia" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=V15r0L5jKRtx.webp&w=880&sig=91f4232855eee667519f2015b91d12df36c61b10" /><br />A data investigation into the FIDE rating list from 2021-2025 reveals a deeply embedded fragmentationVlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/obituary-gm-daniel-naroditsky-1995-2025/dSpgmFrB2025-10-21T08:29:32.767Z2025-10-21T08:29:32.767ZObituary: GM Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025)<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:dSpgmFrB:07mDzDxu.webp&w=880&sig=78cb4f371d7cb18339992e8e875fc0d7b69037d4" /><br />Daniel Naroditsky passed away at the age of 29 in Charlotte, NC, where he resided since 2020.Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/fide-ratings-revisited/BN89yF7d2025-06-25T08:46:11.223Z2025-06-25T08:46:11.223ZFIDE Ratings Revisited<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:BN89yF7d:iDpmuPha.webp&w=880&sig=46264158054815895b5fa806c72bb7a22044a7d1" /><br />Do they offer the full picture, or can improvements still be made?Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/what-really-matters-when-choosing-a-chess-tournament/2LNBiuol2025-06-12T08:23:03.098Z2025-06-12T08:23:03.098ZWhat really matters when choosing a chess tournament<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Sketch of chess player pondering what to prioritize" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:2LNBiuol:raf4HKgE.webp&w=880&sig=e73980f68ddde4ddea6809fd90614175a6940eb7" /><br />Whether you're chasing norms or just hungry for a better performance, choosing the right tournament can make all the difference.Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/fide-rating-changes-are-they-working-so-far/oJPRC8KP2024-10-24T09:35:12.501Z2024-10-24T09:35:12.501ZFIDE rating changes: Are they working so far?<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="List of underrated/overrated countries in Elo" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:oJPRC8KP:aEgiRBMz.webp&w=880&sig=980fb6bb9330afd65c9eab217d4b28f3499f6322" /><br />March 2024 brought a compression of the minimum rating to 1400 and some calculation improvements. Let's discuss their impact, and some alternative ratings too!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/how-to-select-a-chess-coach-a-complete-guide-for-players-at-every-level/04uhtiLt2025-08-26T07:32:27.277Z2025-08-26T07:32:27.277ZHow to Select a Chess Coach: A Complete Guide for Players at Every Level<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Vlad Ghita and Sagar Shah in Weissenhaus 2024" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:04uhtiLt:bPitRx88.webp&w=880&sig=006f434d7db527caa633132a1d4abb849747bb68" /><br />Finding the right chess coach can accelerate your improvement dramatically. However, with hundreds of coaches available online and offline, choosing the right one requires careful evaluation. This guide breaks down the essential factors to consider when selecting a chess coach.Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/becoming-a-national-champion-u2000-part-2/SQWIYf0Z2025-03-23T18:26:21.109Z2025-03-23T18:26:21.109ZBecoming a national champion U2000 (Part 2)<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:SQWIYf0Z:aXdfDxMp.webp&w=880&sig=28fed0eeea8df1fcabadf60b8d94ef6fcbdeaa2f" /><br />The long-awaited sequel returns!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/becoming-a-national-champion-u2000-part-1/zvKS8pC72025-03-04T09:29:01.306Z2025-03-04T09:29:01.306ZBecoming a national champion U2000 (Part 1)<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Protein bars at the Warsaw Grand Chess Tour in 2023" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=ublog:zvKS8pC7:t2C9VT1I.webp&w=880&sig=a65ccbb945f4311e1582d8d6548b21bca1552d0e" /><br />It's been 17 years, but the day has finally arrived!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/get-to-know-wfm-ruelle-canino-phi/m4xj9Vpz2024-11-10T10:48:59.738Z2024-11-10T10:48:59.738ZGet to know: WFM Ruelle Canino (PHI)<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Ruelle Canino, board 4 Philippines Women's Team" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:m4xj9Vpz:XmlQg0BT.webp&w=880&sig=c25fbf6edd95d93ee216aec55404c4b09df709e0" /><br />How does one increase 400 FIDE points in just 66 games played?!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/new-direction-in-the-queens-gambit-accepted/xuwCz2hH2024-11-07T17:32:56.584Z2024-11-07T17:32:56.584ZNew direction in the Queen's Gambit Accepted<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Beth Harmon at the chessboard" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:xuwCz2hH:D6htMISV.webp&w=880&sig=2cbcf15426838da280bffa7e600aa68656e1a020" /><br />I was spending my afternoon browsing on Lichess, when the game Vidit-Aravindh from the Chennai Grand Masters attracted my interest...Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/chess-olympiad-mega-report-from-r1--r2/ifq3nsQI2024-09-13T08:02:48.164Z2024-09-13T08:02:48.164ZChess Olympiad: Mega-report from R1 & R2<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:ifq3nsQI:7CgPGqaa.jpg&w=880&sig=4dd3fc0c5cb9d1fd03ef4aaef1245b1913bcc1dc" /><br />I forgot to click save yesterday, and then Lichess' servers went down...so here we are!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/welcome-to-budapest/GK24VJ9Y2024-09-12T08:10:48.764Z2024-09-12T08:10:48.764ZWelcome to Budapest<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Arbiters at the Chess Olympiad" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:GK24VJ9Y:DTjLJScZ.jpg&w=880&sig=8cee0cbd737f8eaaa1acfd04b5971d1a5ea61743" /><br />What happens when you reunite 1500 people who share the same common language of chessVlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/fide-chess-olympiad-a-detailed-preview/YzAyw2sC2024-09-01T09:07:54.137Z2024-09-01T09:07:54.137ZFIDE Chess Olympiad: A Detailed Preview<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Aerial view of Budapest with the Chess Olympiad logo" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:YzAyw2sC:dVIDBMh8.jpg&w=880&sig=d0123f30686bf93d3bed725cc757b300b48014c3" /><br />Let's delve into the specifics of the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary!Vlad_G92https://lichess.org/@/Vlad_G92/blog/dreams-come-true-before-the-chess-olympiad/Mkghshvt2024-08-27T14:15:41.428Z2024-08-27T14:15:41.428ZDreams Come True: Before the Chess Olympiad<img class="ublog-post-image" width="880" height="550" alt="Logo of the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest" src="https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=vlad_g92:ublog:Mkghshvt:Y8Xu99VS.jpg&w=880&sig=f56e3959b44b0d7b9388ffd49b1b409fcf063e17" /><br />The Chess Olympiad is the biggest gathering of chess players in the world. Ever since watching the 2010 edition closely, even in the classroom (sorry to my teachers at the time, but the chess "virus" is too powerful!), I am glued to the screen every 2 years for about 2 weeks.Vlad_G92