Blitzfanboy IM

Quick overview

Nice grit in these recent blitz sessions — you keep playing sharp, direct attacking games and aren’t afraid to simplify when it suits you. Lately your results dipped a bit (about -27 in the recent period) and the trend slope shows a steady downhill. That usually points to repeatable practical issues (time management, a few recurring tactical misses, and some endgame technique gaps) rather than a sudden drop in understanding.

• Recent notable opponents: chrfiekers, ejoelunj, areyouherequang.
• Common openings in these losses: French Defense, Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation.
• Strength-adjusted win rate ~0.49 — you’re close to 50/50 vs comparable opposition, so small fixes can flip many games.

What you’re doing well

• Active, forcing play — you push pawns and look for pressure (good in blitz).
• Opposite-side castling willingness: creates winning chances instead of dull draws.
• Decent opening breadth — your repertoire contains sharp systems (Najdorf, Sicilian, London) and some solid choices (Caro-Kann/Modern) you can fall back on.
• Ability to convert tactical shots when you have time — several wins come from concrete calculation.

Recurring weaknesses / turning points

From the PGNs you provided and the time stamps, a few repeating themes stand out:

• Time trouble / poor clock management: many games show you getting very low on the clock and then missing defensive resources. Try to keep a 15–20 second buffer in blitz and use increment wisely. (Zeitnot)
• Tactical oversights after simplifications: you often exchange into an endgame where the opponent earns a passed pawn or gets active bishops/rooks. Double-check immediate recaptures and hanging pieces before simplifying.
• King safety when attacking opposite side: you push pawns quickly (good), but sometimes leave back-rank or diagonal weaknesses that get exploited by rook lifts or bishops (watch moves like …Rxf2 and followups seen in the game vs chrfiekers).
• Endgame technique and conversion: when material is simplified you occasionally mis-evaluate resulting pawn races and piece activity — practice basic pawn+rook endgames and king+pawn races.

Here’s the game you most recently lost — replay the line and look for the exact moment the balance shifted:

Concrete fixes — what to practice this week

• Daily 10–20 minute tactics: focus on puzzles that force you to calculate 2–4 moves deep. Start each session with 10 tactical puzzles and mark recurring motifs you miss (pins, forks, back-rank, discovered checks).
• Clock discipline drill: play sets of 5+3 where you aim to never drop below 12 seconds. Practice keeping a reserve for critical decisions — don’t burn 30–60 seconds on every attack in blitz.
• Endgame mini-drills (10 minutes total): king + pawn vs king, rook + pawn endgames, and basic bishop vs knight scenarios. Convert one won pawn ending each day until it’s routine.
• One opening idea per day: pick your most-played sharp line (Najdorf or the French for your white/black games) and review a single critical plan — typical pawn breaks, where to put your knights/bishops, and one idea to avoid. Example placeholders: Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, French Defense.
• Post-game 3-minute review: after each session, pick the worst loss and write down the single move that turned the game and why. Then replay that short sequence 3 times from both sides.

Practical tips for your next session

• When you castle opposite sides, count pawn moves before you commit: one side-pawn push can be decisive — if you see sacrifice ideas on the g/h-file, slow down and calculate the enemy counterplay.
• Before simplifying (exchanging queens/rooks), ask: “Who gets the passed pawn? Who’s the more active king?” If you give the opponent activity, keep the pieces.
• If short on time, trade into a simple endgame only if you’re sure it’s winning or comfortably drawn; otherwise keep tension and play for practical chances.
• Use your increment. Even 3 seconds added per move lets you avoid mouse slips and re-check a tricky exchange once.

Next-session checklist (copy this into notes)

• Warm up: 5 quick tactics, 2 puzzle streaks.
• Play 6 blitz games with the explicit goal: keep 12s buffer in each game.
• After each loss, write 1 sentence: “I lost because …” and what you'd change next time.
• Do 10 minutes of rook/pawn endgames at the end of the session.

Small technical notes & encouragement

Your long-term history shows you can reach 2500+ — the fundamentals are there. The current dip is small and reversible: focus on time management, tactical cleanliness, and a few endgame wins and you’ll see that slope flatten and climb again. Keep the attacking instincts but add one defensive filter before every exchange.

• Short-term goal: +30 rating points by eliminating 1–2 repeat errors per session.
• Long-term goal: consolidate one opening so you make fewer early- game mistakes under time pressure.