Ali Mortazavi IM

Overall Performance Feedback

Ali, your recent blitz games demonstrate solid fighting spirit and an ability to capitalize on dynamic positions. Your current strength adjusted win rate is just above 50%, which shows you are competitively handling your opponents, especially at this fast time control.

However, the rating trend over the past 6 months shows a decline, with a negative slope indicating some struggles or inconsistency recently. Despite this, shorter-term trends like the 1-month slope indicate some signs of improvement which is encouraging.

Consistency and focus on key areas could help you regain and push beyond your earlier peak performance.

Opening Repertoire and Strategy

You often open with the King's Indian Attack and the Caro-Kann Defense variations, showing preference for flexible, solid structures that allow for gradual build-up and attacking chances. Here are some observations and suggestions:

• Your use of Reti Opening and King's Indian Attack is effective, controlling the center and preparing for tactical opportunities. Continue deepening your understanding of typical middle-game plans in these openings.
• In the Caro-Kann Defense games, your handling of exchanges and pawn structure aimed to create good central control, but watch out for counter-attacks, especially along open files and diagonals for your opponent’s pieces.
• Consider reviewing the Sicilian Defense positions, particularly against the setups your recent opponents used, to shore up defenses and seek sharper counter-play when you face aggressive responses.

Critical Moments in Recent Games

Some key points where improvements could help your results:

• Maintaining strong piece coordination after exchanges, to avoid losing initiative, as seen in middle-games where you faced pressure on your king or lost control of key squares.
• Time management is crucial in blitz; ensure you allocate your time wisely in complex positions to avoid rushed decisions that lead to tactical oversights.
• In endgames, focus on precise king and pawn play, as some losses involved tactical threats by your opponent that could be delayed or avoided with careful calculation.

Areas for Improvement

To continue developing your blitz skills and improve your rating trajectory, consider working on:

• Regularly practicing tactical exercises to sharpen calculation and pattern recognition, reducing tactical errors during games.
• Studying typical strategic plans in your chosen openings, to convert small advantages into wins more consistently.
• Analyzing losses for recurring mistakes—such as overlooking threats, weak squares, or pawn structure weaknesses—to build personalized improvement plans.
• Strengthening your endgame technique, particularly king and pawn endgames, which often decide blitz outcomes.

Encouragement and Next Steps

Your positive short-term rating trend and competitive win rate show strong potential. Keep focusing on learning from your games and applying insights actively. Regular review of game databases and focused opening practice will pay dividends.

Remember, steady progress with balanced study and gameplay will get you back on an upward rating curve and make your blitz play more resilient and effective.