Alex Braslavsky FM

Hi Alex!

It’s great to see you maintaining a near-2000 level in 3-minute games (current peak: 2342 (2017-10-17)). Your recent score-sheet shows confident attacking wins, especially in the French Defence and sharp e4 openings, but also several time-forfeit losses. Below is a concise review of what you are already doing well and what can be polished next.

What’s working well

• Thematic mastery of the French Defence. As Black you scored clean wins versus julian169 and csukasto, showing comfort in both Winawer and Classical structures. You understand …c5 breaks, queenside pawn levers and piece activity.
• Alert tactical vision. In your Winawer win over regicidexy you unleashed 16.Nxd5+! and followed with 19.Bc4+ to keep the king in the centre – a textbook exploitation of open lines. (See the critical sequence here:
  
  .)
• Practical attacking instincts. Your willingness to sacrifice material for initiative (e.g., 14.Rxc6!! against D_imperfectionist) regularly pays dividends in short time controls.

Key areas to improve

1. Time management – your main rating ceiling.
   Five of the last seven defeats were on time. Often you are still better or even winning (e.g., vs damasojrdelacuadra and 222mmm). Practical tips:
   • Adopt a simple move-making rhythm: decide on a “default move” each turn so the clock never dips below 15 s before move 20.
   • Use premoves in forced recaptures and obvious king moves.
   • Train bullet (1 + 0) for 10 minutes before a blitz session – it forces quicker pattern recognition.
2. Over-extension in Philidor & Caro-Kann structures.
   Losses to casalesi and Lelicec arose from early pawn storms (h4/g4) without full development. Consider delaying flank pawns until rooks are connected or the centre is clarified.
3. Converting long-term advantages.
   In the Tarrasch French versus damasojrdelacuadra you obtained the bishop pair and a safer king but drifted. Try pausing to set milestones (“convert to extra pawn”, “trade queens”, etc.) so plans don’t evaporate in Zeitnot.

Opening snapshot

• With White: 1.e4 ➜ French/Philidor/Caro-Kann structures dominate. Add a “positional day” (e.g., English or 1.d4) once a week to broaden middlegame themes.
• With Black: 1…e6 repertoire is sound. Prepare a surprise weapon (e.g., Scandinavian) for opponents who sidestep mainlines with 2.Nf3 or 2.Bd3.

Suggested weekly routine

• Puzzles: 20 per day, rated 2000-2400, focus on intermediate moves/defensive ideas.
• Game review: self-annotate one win and one loss each evening; then compare to engine to catch blind spots.
• Endgames: 15-minute drill on minor-piece vs pawns and rook endings – these often arise from your French structures.

Your performance trends

Keep sharpening your tactics, but give the clock as much respect as the pieces. A few tweaks to your move-pace and risk selection will push you comfortably past the 2000 blitz barrier.

Good luck and enjoy your chess! – Coach Bot 🤖