Ruben Lutz FM

Quick summary

Nice run, Ruben — you're currently on an unbeaten stretch (13 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws) and your rating trend is strongly upward (1‑month +37, 3‑month +593, 6‑month +172). Your Strength Adjusted Win Rate shows you're converting your chances very consistently. Keep building on that momentum.

What you're doing well

• Winning mentality: you convert advantages and press until the opponent folds (13‑0 is hard to argue with).
• Opening variety with success: you handle lines like the Dutch Defense and Bird Opening well — your opening results show practical familiarity and good follow‑through into the middlegame.
• Tactical awareness: many wins come from concrete captures and forcing sequences (capturing on f5, g4 sac ideas, quick exchanges that simplify to winning positions).
• Time spent on critical moves: you invest time in key positions instead of quick-moving through complex spots — that shows discipline when you need accuracy.
• Endgame/conversion skills: you finish games once you obtain material or positional edges (forcing mates, exploiting active rooks and passed pawns).

Key games to review

Two short reminders — go back and annotate these with a calm mind (ask “what changed my opponent’s plan?” and “what concrete threats did I create?”):

• Most recent daily win vs trine8 — good central play and clean conversion as Black. Replay the moves below and note the moment you seized central control:
• Game vs finn172 (2023‑11‑28) — excellent tactical play on the kingside and accurate rook activity that forced resignation. Review the capture sequences around move 13–19 where you kept initiative.

Where to focus next

• Sharpen calculation and avoid the occasional Loose Piece moment — even in winning streaks a single hanging piece can flip a game. Practice identifying undefended targets before moving.
• Openings: pick 2–3 main systems to deepen rather than many shallow ones. You’re already successful in Dutch/Bird/QGA lines — make short study sheets: typical pawn breaks, common plans, and one “trap to avoid.” Use those sheets to save time and reduce uncertainty in the early phase.
• Endgames: prioritize basic rook endgames and king+pawn turns (Lucena/Philidor ideas). You convert advantages well — polishing fundamentals will turn small edges into wins more reliably.
• Facing stronger opposition: your win record is excellent but can be inflated by opponent strength. Gradually play a few stronger opponents to expose gaps in long‑term planning and technique.
• Time management: in daily games you can spend very long on single moves. Aim to keep a consistent pace so you still have time for critical endgame decisions; set soft time checkpoints (for example: 30% of allotted time by move 15, 60% by move 30).

Concrete 4‑week training plan

• Daily (20–30 min): 10 tactical puzzles focused on forks/pins/skewers and one “blind‑spot” puzzle (a tactic you missed in your own game).
• 3× per week (30–45 min): opening drill — pick one line (e.g., Dutch Defense for Black or Bird Opening for White). Master 5 typical middlegame plans and one tactical trap to avoid.
• 2× per week (20–30 min): short endgame session — rook vs rook + pawn setups, king and pawn races, basic opposition practice.
• Weekly: review 3 of your recent wins with annotations — answer “what did I do to create my plan?” and “what could my opponent have done differently?”
• Monthly: play 3 practice games vs slightly higher rated opponents and review them regardless of result — this is where growth happens fastest.

Short checklist for post‑game review

• Identify the turning point (the move after which the evaluation shifted).
• Spot any hanging pieces or back‑rank vulnerabilities you created or avoided (Loose Piece).
• Confirm your plan after the opening: what were your short and long term goals? Did you achieve them?
• Mark one mistake and one good idea — try to repeat the good idea in future games.

Goals for the next month

• Keep the unbeaten run going but schedule 3 games vs stronger opponents to test learning.
• Reduce missed tactics by 50% through daily puzzle work.
• Build a two‑line opening cheat sheet (one for White, one for Black) and use it in every daily game for the next 30 days.

Parting note

Great job on the consistency and clear improvement slope. Keep the training small and focused — tactical drills + targeted opening study + basic endgames will give the biggest return on investment. If you want, I can produce a 4‑week daily checklist with exact puzzles and positions tailored to your favorite openings.