Coach Chesswick
Hi Chessi-G – here’s some personalised feedback based on your latest games
What you are already doing well
- Fighting spirit: several wins were achieved from material deficits thanks to perpetual tactics (e.g. your Qg4# finish against b0ller with only 1.6 s on the clock!).
- Active queen play: in both the Caro-Kann (B10) and Closed Sicilian wins you repeatedly entered the enemy camp with Qb5/Qa3 and Qa8/Qb8, showing an eye for infiltration squares.
- Practical time handling: you often choose forcing continuations instead of searching for “perfect” moves, an asset in blitz.
Recurring problems to fix next
- King safety in open positions
Three of your last five losses ended with back-rank or diagonal mates while your own heavy pieces were far from the king.
Example: versus smkc888 you allowed 21.Na4 followed by 21…Qh2#. - Over-reliance on early queen adventures
Many wins feature successful queen raids, but when the defence is solid you fall behind in development (see the loss to matexnx69 where 11…Qxc3 created a vulnerable queen). Drill yourself to delay queen excursions until minor pieces are developed and the king is castled. - Conversion technique in won endings
In the Ruy Lopez game versus miorober you were two pawns up after move 40 yet needed 15 moves to finish. Review basic king-and-pawn and rook-against-rook patterns. - Piece coordination against 1.d4 systems
Both Veresov and Zukertort losses show a common pattern: you follow a “setup” (…Bg4, …e6, …Bd6) but miss tactical blows on f5/h7 or the c-file. Consider learning one crisp line such as the Slav or Queen’s Gambit Declined. - Time management in longer games
In 10+10 games you often reach complex positions with under a minute. Try the “10-20-30 rule”: aim to have ≥8 min after the opening, ≥5 min entering the endgame; when under 30 s switch to simple, safe moves.
Action plan for the next two weeks
| Task | Why | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Tactics trainer (mate in 1-3) | Reduce missed cheapos like Qh2# | 15 min/day |
| Play 10 slow games (15|10 or longer) | Practice full-board thinking without flagging | 1 game/day |
| Review lost games with engine after self-analysis | Understand cause, not just the move | 20 min per game |
| Study “rook & 3 vs 2 pawns” endgame | Improve conversion | 1 hour total |
Your current stats snapshot
Peak ratings so far: Blitz 981 (2025-05-26) • Rapid 1273 (2025-06-17)
Win-rate trends:
Quick opening checklist
- Control the centre before chasing pawns (skip early Qxb2/Qxb7 unless 100 % safe).
- Finish development – bring the queen out only when at least two minor pieces are active.
- Castle by move 10 whenever the centre is open.
Next opponents to rematch
Challenge sandalpedot & zigzagueante2 again after studying the lines – you’ll notice the improvement!
Final thought
Your tactical eye is your biggest asset; combine it with stricter opening discipline and you’ll break the 1300 barrier soon. Enjoy the journey and keep the pieces active!