Solomon Ruddell NM

Summary for Solomon Ruddell

Nice run — you’re converting messy advantages and creating practical chances. Your recent wins show good piece activity, timely pawn breaks on the kingside, and awareness of infiltration squares. Your most recent loss highlights an endgame/defensive theme to tighten up. Below are strengths, specific weaknesses, and a compact training plan.

Recent game highlights

• Win vs enkhbat-64: excellent use of the f‑pawn to open lines and force simplifications that favored your active pieces; you converted cleanly with rook infiltration and a passed pawn.
• Loss vs taphumingo: the game slipped into a rook/endgame where the opponent’s king and pawns became more active — you were passive with your rook and missed chances to generate counterplay.
• General pattern: you often steer for imbalanced middlegames (pawn storms, open files) and tend to outplay opponents there — keep doing that, but be cautious when queen trades signal an upcoming endgame.

What you’re doing well

• Active piece play — you look for infiltration and open files for rooks.
• Practical imbalance creation — pawn storms and tactical breaks create winning chances.
• Opening consistency — your handling of the Modern Defense structures is a strength; you know typical plans and pawn breaks.
• Competitive resilience — in messy positions you keep searching for tactical shots instead of resigning prematurely.

Key areas to improve

• Rook & king endgames: practice active defense techniques (how to cut the opposing king off, use checks, create counter-pawns). The loss vs Taphumingo is a repeatable pattern; solve typical Lucena/Philidor tasks.
• Trade timing: avoid simplifying into endgames where the opponent’s king/pawns are more active — before exchanging queens, ask who gains king activity.
• Responding to pawn storms: when the opponent advances flank pawns, prioritize king safety and look for timely counter‑breaks or checks rather than passive waiting moves.
• Time allocation in 10|0 rapid: keep a small reserve of seconds for critical decisions — slow down 1–2 extra seconds before complex captures or trades.

4‑week training plan (compact)

Short, focused sessions you can do between games.

• Daily (15–25 min): tactics (mates, forks, deflection). Review every mistake briefly.
• 3× weekly (20–30 min): endgame drills — rook vs rook, rook+pawn vs rook, Lucena and Philidor until the ideas are automatic.
• 2× weekly (30–40 min): game review — pick 1 loss and 1 win, do a quick engine check, and write 3 takeaways (one tactical, one positional, one practical decision).
• Weekly: play 1–2 slower rapid games (10+5 or 15+10) to practice thinking time and endgame technique with increment.

In‑game checklist (use during games)

• Threat check: before each move, ask “What is my opponent threatening?”
• Generate 2–3 candidate moves: one forcing/tactical, one positional, one prophylactic if possible.
• Before trades: evaluate resulting king activity and pawn structure — who benefits?
• Endgame pause: when pieces are being exchanged, spend extra time to assess king activity, passed pawns, and rook placement.

Concrete tips from your recent games

• Pawn breaks are powerful — your f‑pawn pushes often decide the game. Keep practicing timing: push when your pieces support the break or the opponent’s king is weakened.
• If you expect an endgame after a queen trade, try to improve your king’s route and create a passed pawn beforehand. If you can’t, avoid the trade.
• In rook endgames, active checks and cutting the enemy king off are usually stronger than passive waiting moves — prioritize rook activity over pawn grabbing when you’re unsure.

Next practical steps

• Today: 20 minutes of tactics, then 15 minutes reviewing the loss vs taphumingo — list 3 concrete mistakes and how you’ll avoid them next time.
• This week: finish 6 Lucena/Philidor exercises and play two 10+5 games focusing on converting advantages and time management.
• Keep using the Modern Defense lines that fit your style; if a line like the Nimzo‑Larsen structures underperforms, reduce its use or study specific traps.

Want a focused annotated review?

I can produce a short annotated review (5–7 key moments) for one specific game — pick the win vs enkhbat-64 or the loss vs taphumingo and I’ll mark concrete alternative moves and ideas.