Jay Walker FM

Hi Jay, here’s some constructive feedback based on your recent blitz games.

1. What you’re already doing well

• Dynamic piece play vs. Caro-Kann/Scandinavian – In several wins you quickly seized the initiative with 4.Ne5, f4–f5 ideas and timely piece sacrifices. Your feel for open positions and tactical shots is a clear asset.
• Transition to favourable endgames – Games such as your win vs. GeorgiosSouleidis show patience: you simplified into a rook-and-pawn ending that was technically winning.
• Confidence in pawn storms – Advances like h4–h5/hxg6 or g4–g5 often unbalance the position and give you attacking chances. When you have the clock under control, these pushes are well calculated.

2. Growth opportunities

• Time management – 5 of your last 7 losses came from flagging or playing ultra-fast moves in the final 10 seconds. You’re frequently ahead on the board but behind on the clock.
  • Recommendation: make a conscious “10-second pledge.” If you drop below 0:10, stop calculating deeply and play the safest increment-friendly move.
  • Drill: play 3-minute games with a 2-second increment to reinforce this habit.
• Handling the Alapin (c3) Sicilian as White – In the loss vs. WisdomGame you struggled to create winning chances after early queen trades, and Black equalised effortlessly.
  • Re-examine move 12 Nd2?! and the exchange of queens on move 15. Consider 12.Be3 or 12.dxe5 followed by Bf4 to keep queens and pressure.
• Over-extension in pawn majorities – In a few defeats you advanced queenside pawns (e.g. game vs. Never_walk_alone: a5, c6, b5) too far without piece support, creating weak squares behind them.
  • Rule of thumb: advance a pawn chain only when at least two pieces can occupy the squares it leaves.
• Endgame conversion vs. stubborn defence – The loss vs. INZLF (Modern Defence) illustrates letting a favourable bishop vs. knight endgame slip after 28…Rb6!
  • Study “technical” rook-endgames (e.g. Lucena & Philidor) 10 minutes a day; they arise constantly from your Caro-Kann structures.

3. Concrete study plan (next two weeks)

1. Opening tune-up
   • Update your Alapin file: play through 10 model games where White keeps queens and presses (e.g. Grischuk, Dubov).
   • Add a surprise weapon vs. 1…e6 (French); consider the King’s Indian Attack setup – it suits your pawn-storm style.
2. Tactics under time pressure
   • Solve 20 puzzles/day on “rush” or “survival” mode with a 30-second limit each; emphasise pattern recognition over deep calc.
3. Endgame mini-workouts
   • 5 positions/day from Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual: play vs. engine at +5 seconds increment until you convert.

4. Illustrative snippet

Below is the critical moment from your recent win where you exploited Black’s back-rank weaknesses. Replay it once and visualise alternative defences for Black.

5. Your performance trends

Keep an eye on when you’re playing your best chess:

6. Motivational snapshot

Your 2714 (2022-01-11) proves you belong in the high-2600 blitz bracket. Ironing out the time-trouble losses alone could net +50-70 Elo.

Final note

Stay confident in your attacking instincts, but pair them with disciplined clock control and a smoother endgame technique. Small tweaks – big rating gains!

Good luck and enjoy your games! – Coach