Luis Paulo Supi GM

What you’re doing well in blitz

You show a strong willingness to play actively and complicate the position when the moment calls for it. In blitz, this willingness to keep the pressure on your opponent often helps you seize practical chances and create sharp, tactical chances that catch opponents off guard.

• You manage tactical themes well and can spot forcing ideas that turn a promising moment into concrete activity on the board.
• You adapt to different openings and structures, which is valuable in blitz where opponents vary quickly.
• You demonstrate resilience under pressure by continuing to look for aggressive chances instead of retreating into overly passive lines.

Improvements to focus on in the next games

• Endgame and conversion discipline: after exchanges, ensure you keep a clear plan to convert advantages or at least hold drawn chances. In blitz, quick, practical endgames win or save many games where the middlegame tactical fight dies down.
• Time management: in tight time controls, avoid getting lost in long tactical sequences. Practice setting a personal move-time budget and look for solid, forcing moves that preserve your initiative without overcomplicating when the clock is running low.
• Counterplay and defense: when your opponent builds pressure, prioritize king safety and piece coordination. Develop a quick checklist for defensive decisions (king safety, piece activity, and active counterplay) to prevent sudden turns in the game.
• Pattern recognition through rapid puzzles: deepen familiarity with common tactical motifs (forks, pins, skewers, and rook lifts) to accelerate decision-making in blitz.

Opening strategy and fit for blitz

Your data shows strength in several dynamic openings that suit blitz, especially lines in the Sicilian and the Caro-Kann families. This suggests you perform well in sharp, imbalanced positions where you can create clear threats and keep the initiative. In contrast, some quieter openings tend to yield steadier, slower games where time pressure can erode your edge. Consider balancing your repertoire to blend aggressive, initiative‑driven lines with reliable, solid options to reduce risk when you are short on time.

• Lean into the sharp, tactical families you handle well (for example, certain Sicilian lines and the Caro-Kann family) to keep the game in your strength zone.
• Build a reliable, simpler plan against more solid setups so you have a clear path when the position is less forcing.
• For quick reference while practicing, you can explore openings like Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation and Caro-Kann Defense to reinforce your dynamic and solid blend. Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation

Practical training plan

• Weekly focus blocks: dedicate two days to tactical pattern drills (5–10 minutes each) and two days to endgame sessions (rook and pawn endings, basic rook endgames).
• Daily quick puzzles: aim for 5–10 minutes of tactical puzzles focusing on forks, pins, and overloading ideas to speed up recognition in blitz.
• Blitz review routine: after each session, review 2–3 critical moments from your last games. Note if you overextended, missed a defensive resource, or gave away the initiative too early.
• Time‑pressure drills: practice 3+1 or 5+0 blitz sets with a timer, then spend as much time reviewing the critical moments as you played them, to internalize faster decision-making under pressure.

Immediate actions to apply in the next session

• Start with a few short games, then immediately review the top 3 decision moments under time pressure to identify where you could have made quicker, safer choices.
• Adopt a simple endgame planning habit: if you reach an endgame with rooks and pawns, decide on a plan within a couple of moves and stick to it rather than switching gears late in the game.
• Keep a balanced repertoire in blitz so you’re not constantly choosing between very risky and very safe lines. A reliable, slightly more positional option alongside your sharper lines can help you hold more winning chances when time is tight.