Coach Chesswick
Hi Alexander!
Congratulations on maintaining a high blitz rating of 2466 (2025-02-08). Below are a few observations from your latest session followed by concrete training ideas.
What you are already doing well
- Dynamic piece play in the Sicilian. Your wins against 2300+ players show good feel for ...Nd4 …g6 set-ups and timely pawn breaks such as ...f5 (see the critical sequence 20…gxf5 21.Qe2 in your win vs uykan).
- Confidence in sharp king hunts. 16.Rxh7!! in the MiguelMejiaE game was courageous and objectively sound. That attacking instinct is a strength—nurture it.
- Practical opening choice. With Black you keep positions unbalanced (Kan, Accelerated Dragons, English symmetrical with early ...c5). That gives you winning chances against any rating group.
Recurring issues to address
- Clock management – Four of your last six losses ended on time in playable or even better positions.
• Develop a mini check-list (king safety, loose pieces, opponent threats) and force yourself to move once that is complete.
• Practise bullet (1|0) occasionally; the faster cadence helps automate easy decisions so you spend time only on critical ones. - Converting advantages. In the loss to wombatboard1 you entered a won rook ending (two pawns up) but could not finish the game. A simple technique such as “cut the king & push the passer” would have done the job. Schedule 30 min/day on rook-vs-rook endings in Lichess trainer or any table-base app.
- Central outposts left undefended. Twice you allowed Nd4/Nf4 to land (e.g. 20…Nf4 vs octavianmorda). Add the theme “Remove the outpost knight” to your tactics set.
- Responding to d5 breaks. In multiple English/Queen’s Pawn games opponents equalised with ...d5 or ...d6-…d5. Review model games by Kramnik on flexible pawn structures so you know when to meet the break with exd5, cxd5 or a quiet retreat.
Opening micro-advice
| Line | Idea to add |
|---|---|
| Sicilian Kan as Black | Study the modern ...a6, ...Qc7, ...Nf6, ...b5 move order to discourage the Bowdler 2.Bc4 system you just faced. |
| Caro-Kann Exchange as White | Replace 5.Bb5 with the main line 5.Nf3 followed by Minority Attack—your piece activity will come more naturally. |
| English Symmetrical | When you choose the early ...c5/...Nc6 setup, be ready for d4 breaks; copy Carlsen’s plan of ...a6, ...Rb8 first if you prefer to keep tension. |
Illustrative tactic (from your win vs uykan)
Spot the finish after 24.Rh5?!
Training plan for the next two weeks
- Daily: 20 tactical puzzles focused on Intermediate move Zwischenzug and Outpost Knight motifs.
- Alternate days: 1 annotated classical game in your opening repertoire; create a one-page summary of plans.
- 3 sessions of 15-minute end-game drills, especially R+P vs R and Q vs passed pawn.
- Twice a week: play a 10|0 rapid game to practise slower, accurate conversion.
Your activity trends
Use the interactive widgets below to spot when you perform best:
Final encouragement
You are already competing at a very high level—small improvements in time handling and end-game technique could push you well past 2300. Keep the energy, keep the tactics sharp, and remember: good positions win games, but good clocks save them.