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 ().
- 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 & c4setups 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
- Weekly: 20 tactic puzzles focused on double attacks & overloaded pieces.
- Bi-weekly: Review one classic Karpov endgame to strengthen technique in rook & minor-piece endings.
- 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:
• Consistency monitor:
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!