1. how many moves ahead can the average Chess player "see"?
I see about 3-5 moves ahead usually but I play every week for an hour

2. what is the ELO rating for an average Chess player?
no Idea
3. should i quit now while i'm ahead? i want to be competitive at Chess. i don't want to play like an average joe nobody forever. is Chess a type of game where one just has to be naturally gifted at the game, or can normal people decipher it too (at a highly competitive level)?
You can get a hell of a lot better very quickly, and it's a little about natural talent but if you play a good few games regularly, you will ge much better Navaros