Hi Ottomar, here is some tailored feedback to help you sharpen your online-rapid play.
1. Opening trends
- Your recent White games feature a mix of 1.e4 and 1.Nf3 systems, but the middlegame plans occasionally drift. Consider tightening your repertoire around one core structure so that pattern recognition kicks in faster under the 3-minute clock.
- Against …Nc6 e5 set-ups (e.g. Three-Knights), you handled the early Bg4/Bc5 pins well but allowed …g5 to chase the bishop and weaken your own king (see move 8 of the loss vs. LeondeKlerk). A quicker h3 or d4, or simply declining Bg5 altogether, keeps the centre intact.
- With Black you sometimes answer random flank openings too casually (…a6, …a5, …h6, …h5) and get hit by the cheap Qxf7/Qxf2 tricks. A simple rule: if the opponent’s queen can land on f7/f2 in one go, ensure that square is defended before playing a pawn move on the rim.
2. Tactical vigilance
Your wins show excellent conversion when you seize the initiative (e.g. 1.e3 Bc4 Qf3 Qxf7#). Yet several lost games are 10-move miniatures on the very same theme—evidence that you sometimes “mirror” the opponent’s bad play. Force yourself to ask one extra blunder-check question every move: “What is my least-defended square?”
3. Time management
Average clock usage in the win streak: 55–65 seconds remaining at finish. In the losses: often under 15 seconds by move 25, even when the position is equal. Concrete tip: commit to reaching move 15 with at least 1:45 on the clock; if not, tighten your opening prep or adopt a default safe move (…Nf6, …e6, castling) instead of burning time on perfect moves.
4. Psychological edges
- When facing sub-2000 opponents, you tend to experiment. That’s fine for variety, but sprinkle in a few “main-line” games each session to maintain discipline.
- Use the first three moves to gauge the opponent’s speed. If they premove instantly, switch to a solid, pawn-grinding structure—bullet instincts make it harder for them to shift gears.
5. Micro-goals for the next week
- Play 20 games starting with 1.d4 as White; aim for 80 % score and zero games ended by cheap mates.
- Daily 10-minute tactics session focused on queen sacrifices & back-rank motifs.
- Record your thought process for one game and annotate three critical moments ().
6. Progress trackers
Visualise your momentum with the widgets below—pin them to your dashboard so you immediately see when fatigue kicks in.
7. Quick reference
Your current peaks: Blitz 2853 (2020-04-26), Rapid 2543 (2018-03-13). Keep an eye on the Blitz mark; you are one solid session away from a new personal best.
8. Inspirational game to revisit
Replay your cleanest convert-to-rook-ending win (Paul66666, 27 Apr) and notice how early pawn breaks (d4-c5) secured space before the time scramble.
Good luck, Ottomar! Keep the energy high, the king safe, and the clock under control.