Zac Aynsley

Quick summary

Nice week — you converted two different winning plans: a tactical queen/rook sequence (vs kbakylllka) and a patient rook/pawn finish that ended with a checkmate on the back rank (vs anthonytorresm). Losses this batch were mostly tactical (early mating nets, promoted queens and back‑rank themes). Below I’ve highlighted concrete strengths, recurring weaknesses, and a short training plan you can start tonight.

What you did well (so keep doing this)

• Creating active counterplay — in the win vs kbakylllka you kept your queen and rooks on the board and used checks to force decisive material wins. That aggression paid off.
• Using rooks on open files and the seventh/ranks — the mate vs anthonytorresm came from steady rook activity and a passed pawn push; good endgame awareness there.
• Converting advantages under blitz time pressure — you didn’t panic when the position was sharp, and you finished cleanly in both wins.
• Opening variety and practical chances — you play many aggressive lines (Modern, Amar Gambit, Barnes, etc.) which gives you chances to out‑play opponents in messy positions.

Recurring issues to fix

• King safety / back‑rank vulnerabilities — several losses started or ended with a decisive tactical strike against your king (Qh4 patterns, knight/sac plated mates, promoted queens). Before moving, check for back‑rank mates and escape squares for your king.
• Tactical oversights on f2/f7 and unprotected squares — opponent motifs like Qh4, Bxf2+, Ng3 type mates are common in blitz; those are often the result of a single missed defender.
• Allowing passed pawns to run (and promote) — a loss shows the opponent queening/promotion deciding the game. Try to neutralize base pawns earlier or trade into favourable rook endgames where possible.
• Inconsistent opening play leading to early tactics — some opening choices leave holes around the king or loose pieces that opponents punish quickly in blitz.

Concrete checklist to use every move (blitz friendly)

• 1) Any checks from the opponent? If yes, calculate immediate reply.
• 2) Any captures available to either side that change the position materially (hanging pieces)?
• 3) Is my king exposed or on a back rank? Can I give luft or trade a piece to reduce mating threats?
• 4) Is the move creating a new target (weak square / pinned piece) I haven’t noticed?
• 5) If you have less than 30 seconds: pick the safe practical move (develop / trade) not a speculative tactic.

Short practice plan (2–3 weeks)

• Daily tactics: 15–25 puzzles focusing on forks, pins, back‑rank mates and knight forks. Keep a streak of 10 days.
• Endgame drills: 3× per week, 15 minutes — rook + pawn vs rook basics, simple king + pawn promotion races, and basic mate with rook and queen vs lone king.
• Opening cleanup: pick 1 main opening and 1 reliable reply for opponents’ aggressive lines. Practice 10–15 minutes on common traps (for example, shore up the lines that lead to Qh4/Bxf2 ideas).
• Post‑game review: after every loss, mark the first move where evaluation flipped. Save those in a "Blunder log" and aim to reduce those by 50% over the next 100 games.

Three focused exercises to start tonight

• Tactics set: 30 puzzles that end in mate or win of major material — concentrate on pattern recognition (back‑rank, queen+knight forks).
• 5 annotated loss reviews: open your last 5 losses, find the first inaccuracy, and write one sentence why it was bad (time 30–40 minutes total).
• Rook endgame drill: play 10 slow (10+0) rook endgames vs engine or friend and practice cutting off the king and creating passed pawns.

Game‑specific notes (use when reviewing the games)

• Vs kbakylllka — you punished an exposed king with active queen and rook checks. When you see the opponent’s king stuck in the center or on the long diagonal, test forcing lines (checks & captures).
• Vs anthonytorresm — great patience with pawn pushes and rook lifts; consider studying the technique you used to create the passed pawn and the final rook infiltration so you can repeat it.
• Vs 1pourlaroute and similar losses — the Qh4 / Bxf2+ / Ng3 mating pattern is recurring: when the opponent brings the queen and knight close to your king, simplify (trade queens) or create luft immediately.

Embed of one win (review on your phone):

Targets for the next 30 days

• Reduce decisive blunders that lose immediately (mate or queen promotion) by 30% — track with your blunder log.
• Maintain your momentum: you already gained +117 in the last month — aim to keep the same study rhythm (tactics + endgames) and set a realistic rating goal for the month.
• Keep playing the aggressive openings you enjoy, but prepare one solid backup line (Caro‑Kann or Scandinavian) to reach safer middlegames when you're short on time.

Final encouragement

Your games show you can both create tactical fireworks and grind technical wins. Clean up the few recurring tactical leaks (back‑rank, f2/f7 mating motifs, passed pawn races) and you’ll convert many more of those close positions into wins. If you want, send me 3 of your recent losses and I’ll annotate the first 5 mistakes move‑by‑move.

Want a short follow‑up plan for the next two weeks? Reply “Yes — two week plan” and I’ll send a tailored schedule you can follow on mobile.