Hi Prasheel!
Below is some personalised feedback based on your latest games as cheemsboi. I have focused on trends that repeat across wins and losses so that the advice is practical and actionable.
1. What you are doing well
- Consistent opening choice as Black: You score well with the Modern / Pirc setup (…g6, …Bg7, …Nf6, …d6). This gives you a solid structure and lots of tactical chances. Keep it in your repertoire and study a mini-line each week.
- Tactical alertness: In several wins you spotted forks and queen infiltrations (e.g. 18.Nd6+ in your win vs BNSdion). Your eye for loose pieces is a real asset.
- Fighting spirit: You never shy away from complications and often play on even when material is down, which wins games at this level.
2. Biggest improvement areas
-
Time management (critical!)
Six of your last ten losses were simply on time. Treat every 60-second game as if the clock starts at 40 seconds; move faster early, then use increments (if any) to think later.
• Try “move, verify, move” instead of “think, think, move”.
• Play 3 | 2 or 5 | 5 sessions twice a week to practise keeping 10-20 seconds in reserve. -
Early queen adventures with White
The line 1.d4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 often leads you to grab material (5.Nxc7+, 12.Qxg7, 13.Qxh8 in your loss vs yannou71) but costs too many tempi. Opponents develop while your queen runs, and you fall behind in king safety.
• Re-watch that game and ask “Who is ahead in development after move 10?”. Answer: Black.
• Set a rule: your queen should not cross the 4th rank before move 10 unless it wins a piece without opening your king to checks. -
King safety & central files
In multiple defeats (e.g. 22…Rg8+ vs dipperjohn, 24…Qg2# vs ShupzyRules) your king sat in the centre while open files appeared. It often stems from omitting one of the three basic opening goals: develop – castle – connect rooks.
• Make castling your default. If you aren’t castled by move 10, ask yourself why not. -
Defending against rook lifts & mating nets
The pattern …Rg8/…Rh8/…Qh2# (or the mirror as Black) beat you twice. Study the themes “h-file battery” and the “back-rank mate” to learn typical defensive resources (h3/h6 luft, trading attacking pieces, returning material).
3. One annotated example
The diagram below comes from your loss vs yannou71 (move 6). You are three pawns up but all your pieces are undeveloped and your king is stuck in the centre.
Key takeaway: Material is not everything; time and king safety matter more at this phase.
4. Training plan for the next 4 weeks
| Week | Main focus | Daily task (≈20 min) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clock discipline | Play 10 bullet games aiming to keep >10 s on clock at move 20. |
| 2 | Safe development with White | Review 15 master games in the London/Jobava system and note castling timing. |
| 3 | King-hunt defence | Solve 30 tactics tagged “mate in 2-4 (defence)” and “rook lift”. |
| 4 | Modern Defence refinement | Analyse 5 GM games starting 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 with commentary. |
5. Track your progress
Keep an eye on your stats:
- Peak rapid rating: 1127 (2021-01-27)
- Peak blitz rating: 1007 (2021-01-28)
Visualise your improvement here →
6. Quick reference
• Review definitions: tempo, skewer, fork, blunder
• Study endgame basics: opposition, outside passed pawn, lucena position
Final words
Skill growth is about turning recurring mistakes into new strengths. Nail your time usage, prioritise early king safety, and your rating will climb rapidly. Enjoy the journey & happy calculating!