Coach Chesswick
What you already do well
- Fearless initiative-play. Your King’s-Gambit win versus Elias_medin shows you can activate every piece and finish attacks quickly.
- Tactical eye near the enemy king. The mating pattern 14…Rd1+ 15…Bc5+ in your win over SSSSSKING was spotted at blitz speed.
- Comfort in open positions. You handle open files and diagonals better than most sub-600 players. Keep that strength!
Replay a model game (use it as a template)
- Every move developed a new piece or secured the king.
- No piece was moved twice before castling.
- Only after completing development did you open the centre with 11.e5.
Biggest improvement areas
1. Time management
Four of your last five defeats were on time.
- “30-second rule”. If a single move costs more than 30 s, play the safest reasonable option instead of chasing perfection.
- Play 10|0 games and aim to finish with at least 1 : 30 left. This trains you to move faster in familiar positions.
- Practise pre-moves only in forced recaptures to save seconds without blundering.
2. A steadier opening repertoire
- With White: keep the King’s Gambit for fun, but build a “safety” line such as the Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4).
- With Black vs 1.e4: consider the Petrov or Scandinavian to sidestep tricky gambits like the Danish Gambit.
- Memorise the first 6–7 moves and the main ideas rather than every variation.
3. Tactical cleanliness
Missed forks and loose pieces cost material in several games.
- Solve 20–30 puzzles daily, concentrating on forks, pins and skewers.
- After each game ask: “Which of my pieces was last left undefended unnecessarily?” This builds board awareness.
4. Endgame confidence
- Practise king + rook vs king mate until you can finish in under 30 s.
- Learn the “square rule” and opposition in pawn endings – they appear surprisingly often when the clock is low.
Personal dashboards
Track your progress visually:
February goals
- Complete 30 rapid (10|0+) games with ≤ 3 time forfeits.
- Achieve 1159 (2021-02-20) + 50 by sticking to your new openings.
- Finish 600 puzzles at ≥ 65 % accuracy.
Final encouragement
Your fearless style is a huge asset. Blend it with sharper clock control and a slightly tighter defence, and breaking 800 will come quickly. Enjoy the journey, Aleksandr!