Coach Chesswick
Quick overview
Nice upward run — your rating trend is strong and consistent. You’re converting attacking chances and picking openings that suit your style. Below I highlight concrete improvements and a short plan you can use in the next 2–4 weeks.
Recent game highlights
Three recent games I looked at (one quick win, a clean tactical victory, and a loss where an endgame slipped away):
- Fast win vs omarmohammed2010 — opponent played the early queen sortie; you responded calmly and the game ended quickly.
- Nice attacking win vs blahh3 — an Italian Game (Italian Game) where you built pressure, sacced for attack, and finished when the opponent’s king became exposed. View the game:
- Loss vs gdgsghsg — a sharp middlegame that transitioned into a pawn-heavy endgame. Final phase shows advanced passed pawns and lack of counterplay (you were Black). Key opening was related to Caro-Kann Defense. Full game:
Note: one “draw” PGN you provided duplicates the loss — looks like a data duplicate. I used the actual game content when analysing.
What you’re doing well
- Attacking instincts: you spot king safety targets and can convert tactical sequences — the win vs blahh3 shows clean calculation and follow-through.
- Opening variety: your repertoire contains aggressive, practical lines (Amar Gambit, Blackburne Shilling) that give you practical chances — your win rates there are excellent.
- Positive momentum: your rating trends (1/3/6 month slopes) all point upward — that means your training and practice are working.
- Practical finishing: you force resignations rather than relying on long technical wins — good at turning advantage into a stop-the-clock result.
Main areas to improve
- Endgame technique and pawn play: in the loss you let the opponent’s passed pawn(s) become decisive. Work on basic king-and-pawn endgames, rook endgames, and converting/defending against a single passed pawn.
- Defensive resourcefulness: when the position simplifies you sometimes lose counterplay — practice "how to improve" moves and look for keeps in activity instead of passively exchanging down.
- Time management: you play many 10-minute games — spend less time on obvious opening moves and keep reserve time for critical middlegame decisions. Aim for a stable opening routine to save 1–2 minutes per game.
- Opening weak spots: your Caro‑Kann results are poor (win rate ~28%). Either review the lines you play there or avoid it until you have a prepared plan — small theoretical gaps are being punished.
Specific, actionable next steps (2–4 week plan)
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- Week 1: Tactics daily — 15 minutes of mixed tactics with emphasis on endgame tactics (blocked passed pawns, promotion threats).
- Week 2: Endgame fundamentals — 3x 20–30 minute sessions on king and pawn endings, basic rook endgames, and Lucena/Philidor ideas. Practice converting a single passed pawn vs active rook.
- Week 3: Opening triage — pick one Caro‑Kann line you play and learn 4 common plans for both sides (plans, pawn breaks, one model game). Use Caro-Kann Defense as a study anchor. Remove or simplify an opening from your repertoire that gives you many problems.
- Week 4: Play focused rapid sessions (10 games): use the checklist below; review two losses in depth (find the single critical move that changed evaluation).
Pre-game checklist (use before every game)
- Have your opening sequence for the first 8–10 moves memorised (saves 30–90s).
- Identify whether you want a sharp tactical game or a quiet maneuvering game — pick the opening accordingly.
- When you get a small advantage, ask: "Can I simplify safely?" If simplification loses active counterplay, keep pieces and play for kingside/center pressure.
- When down material or position looks bad — trade into an endgame only if the resulting pawn structure or passers help you; otherwise keep complications and look for swindles.
Short tactical and strategic tips
- When you attack (like vs blahh3), check queen checks first — often they decide the fate of the king. You already do this well; make it a habit to list checks/captures/threats in your head each move.
- Against pawn storms or passed pawns, activate your king early in the endgame — king activity often beats material when pawns decide the race.
- If you stick with aggressive openings, learn one defensive backup per opening (a "what if they counter this" plan). It reduces panic when the opponent finds a sharp reply.
Small training tasks (30–60 minutes each)
- 30-min tactics: 20 medium puzzles focusing on mating nets and blocking passed pawns.
- 45-min endgame: practice 6 positions — king + pawn vs king, rook + pawn vs rook, and queen vs pawn endgames.
- 60-min opening: study 1 model game from your Barnes/Amar/Blackburne lines and 1 model game from the Caro‑Kann you play.
Closing — short encouragement
Your upward rating slope and the strength-adjusted win-rate (~58%) suggest you’re doing a lot right. With a little focused endgame work and a tidy opening plan for problematic defenses (like the Caro‑Kann), you’ll make the next leap faster. Keep the attacking instincts, improve the defence, and manage the clock.
If you want, I can:
- Make a 4-week training schedule tailored to exactly 90 minutes/week.
- Annotate one loss and one win move-by-move (I can produce an annotated PGN with comments).
- Give a short checklist for the Caro‑Kann line you actually play — tell me which variation and I’ll prepare it.