Jim Banks NM

Hi Jim, here’s a tailored review of your recent play (2136 (2025-05-28))

1. What you’re doing well

• Active, principled openings – Your repeated use of the Accelerated Dragon and related Sicilians shows a clear understanding of piece activity and pawn breaks. In the win vs. hahachess81 you followed theory confidently and maintained the initiative (
  
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• Tactical awareness – The early …Nxe4/Qxc3+ combination in the victory over TheRobot2828 illustrates sharp calculation skills and the courage to seize material.
• Conversion with material advantage – Once up material you generally simplify smoothly (e.g. the exchange-up rook endgame vs. john-55). Your technique has improved since 2021.

2. Priority areas to work on

• Handling the Sveshnikov as White – In the loss to alfredawe you accepted doubled f-pawns for Black but never challenged the long diagonal. Study model games where White plays Bc4/Be2 & c4 setups to restrict …f5 ideas.
• King safety in middlegames – A recurring thread is castling late or drifting into the centre (e.g. 20.Ke2 & 28.Kf2 in the same game). Ask yourself each move: “Is my king the safest piece on the board right now?” If not, fix it first.
• End-game endurance – The marathon Ruy Lopez vs. Pisin-Trdlo slipped after move 90. Fatigue led to passive rook placement and pawn weaknesses. Practical tip: adopt a “fresh clock” routine—stand up, quick stretch, deep breath—every 25 moves in correspondence games.

3. Opening snapshot

• With Black you score well in the Sicilian, yet opponents are preparing. Add one “surprise” line (e.g. the Taimanov with …e6 & …Qc7) to stay unpredictable.
• With White, your 1.e4 repertoire is solid but becomes theoretical fast. Consider an occasional English or Réti to cut prep and steer to quieter positions when you want a strategic battle.

4. Tactical pattern of the month

Study the …Nxe4 “poisoned pawn” theme in the Dragon. Many opponents underestimate the follow-up intermezzo. Rehearse it with puzzles so you spot it instantly under time pressure.

5. Training plan

1. Weekly: 20 tactic puzzles focused on double attacks & overloaded pieces.
2. Bi-weekly: Review one classic Karpov endgame to strengthen technique in rook & minor-piece endings.
3. Monthly: Annotate two of your own losses in depth (no engine for the first pass). Identify one decision you’d change and why.

6. Progress trackers

• Hourly performance heat-map:

Next steps

Keep leveraging your tactical flair while shoring up defensive technique and late-game resilience. Small improvements in king safety and endgame stamina will convert several near-wins into points. Looking forward to your next set of games—good luck!