Arian Shehu

Feedback focus for your recent rapid games

Here are practical observations and steps to help you improve, based on your latest win, loss, and draw in rapid play. The aim is to build on your strengths while tightening up areas that commonly decide tight games in this time control.

What you’re doing well

• You show a confident, tactical mindset and are comfortable navigating sharp, dynamic positions. Your recent win demonstrates you can calculate forcing lines and convert them into a decisive finish.
• You actively seek initiative in the opening and keep opponents under pressure, which often leads to imbalances that favor your play style.
• Your piece activity on open files and rooks entering the action are common strengths in your games, helping you create practical chances even when the position is complex.
• You display tenacity in difficult middlegame scenarios and keep trying to press when you’re ahead or when chances arise, rather than settling for passive equality.

Key improvement areas

• Endgame technique: Work on converting advantages in rook endgames and king activity scenarios. In several recent games the finish can hinge on precise rook activity and pawn technique, so practice standard rook endgame methods and common pawn-structure endings.
• Calculate with restraint in risky moments: While you thrive on tactics, you can reduce the risk of over-ambitious decisions by verifying whether a sacrifice truly increases your advantages or simply creates long, double-edged lines. When in doubt, look for 1-2 forcing moves and then evaluate the resulting, simpler positions before committing more material.
• Pattern recognition in openings: You gravitate toward sharp lines, which is great for initiative. Pair this with solid secondary plans so you don’t get pulled into untested lines too early. Build a small, reliable core repertoire for the first 15 moves in your most-used openings.
• Time management in the middlegame: In rapid games, balance sharp calculation with efficient use of time. Practice allocating a dedicated chunk of time to identify critical turning points (typically around move 15–25) and avoid spending too long on speculative tactics that may not pay off.

Targeted practice plan

• Endgames: Do 2–3 rook-endgame drills per week. Learn the standard techniques to activate the rook, create counterplay, and convert a pawn majority on one side into a win or to salvage a draw when behind.
• Strategic puzzles: Do 15–20 minutes of tactical puzzles daily, focusing on motifs that frequently appear in your games (forks, skewers, back-rank ideas, and forcing sequences that lead to material gain or checkmate nets).
• Game reviews: After each rapid game, write a 5-point, move-by-move recap of the critical decision points. Identify one moment where a different plan could have been stronger and try a concrete alternative in the future.
• Opening refinement: Pick 1–2 openings you use most and study their main plans (not just the moves). Create a simple plan cheat-sheet with typical middlegame ideas and typical pawn structures you want to aim for.
• Time-awareness drills: Practice with a fixed time control in training games, then compare your time usage in critical middlegame moments to ensure you’re not rushing or overthinking.

Opening performance snapshot

Your current openings show a mix of aggressive and solid choices. A few highlights:

• Australian Defense has shown solid results, indicating it’s a good fit for keeping the position dynamic without overextending.
• Czech Defense has produced a strong result in smaller samples, suggesting potential to lean into its stable structures if you’re comfortable with the arising endgames.
• Be mindful of smaller sample openings like the Barnes Defense or KGA lines; their performance looks promising but needs more games to verify consistency.

Momentum and rating trajectory

Your trend shows positive momentum over the past months, with a meaningful six-month gain. To sustain this, keep a balanced practice routine that blends calculation work, endgames, and opening refinement. Protect your energy with regular breaks and steady training to avoid plateaus.

Next steps

• Choose one concrete area to focus on for the next 2 weeks (for example, “improve rook endgame technique” or “build a reliable 15-move opening plan”).
• During your next few rapid games, annotate critical moments and try a small, tested alternative plan when you reach those moments again.
• Incorporate a brief endgame session and a short tactical workout into daily training; consistency matters more than intensity for sustainable improvement.