Coach Chesswick
Quick summary
Nice run of blitz — sharp attacking games, active pawn play and good pattern recognition. Your wins show you’re comfortable creating kingside storms and queenside expansion; your loss looks like a clock / conversion problem rather than a pure strategic collapse. Below I’ll highlight concrete strengths, repeatable mistakes, and a short training plan you can start tonight.
Games I looked at (highlights)
- Win vs eclairjaune — strong queenside expansion and a tactical finish (pawn capture on b5 that wins the queen). See the key sequence below to replay quickly:
- Win vs trainingacc1984 — aggressive kingside pawn play (h4–h6, f4) and a queen check finish on move 18.
- Loss vs wasnotaprodigy — a complex endgame where the opponent got a passed pawn and you lost on time. The position was messy; conversion and clock management both mattered.
What you’re doing well
- Active pawn play: you push pawns to open lines (b- and h-files) and you do it with purpose, not randomly.
- Attacking sense: you identify kingside targets quickly and use queen/rooks to create mate threats or decisive checks.
- Opening choices suit your style — Alekhine and French lines give you unbalanced positions where you thrive.
- Pattern recognition: you spotted tactical shots (e.g., the b-file tactic vs Eclairjaune) — that’s a huge plus in blitz.
Repeatable mistakes and patterns to fix
- Time management / zeitnot: a loss and at least one win on the opponent’s time indicate you get into serious time trouble. In blitz this costs points even from winning positions.
- Conversion under low clock: when you win material or create a passed pawn you sometimes keep playing complicated moves instead of simplifying — when ahead, trade pieces and make the clock your friend.
- Occasional underestimation of enemy counterplay — when you storm on one side, check the other side’s pawn breaks (c- or a-files) and quick promotions.
- Tactical thin spots in complex endgames: some long sequences (promotions, king hunts) become tactical races — practise pawn-race calculation and basic queen vs rook/rook+pawn endgames.
Concrete training plan (this week)
Short, focused sessions that fit blitz practice work best.
- Daily 15–20 minutes: 10 tactical puzzles (max 5 min per puzzle). Focus on forks, discovered attacks and queen traps — these appear often in your games.
- 3 × 20-minute sessions: play 5|3 or 3|2 rapid blitz games, but force yourself to simplify when +material. Goal: convert without creating more complications.
- Endgame drills (2× per week, 20 minutes): practise queen vs. pawn races, king+rook vs king+rook, and basic rook endings. Work on opposition, cut-off and queening races.
- Opening prep (2× per week, 15 min): pick the Alekhine/Maroczy and your preferred French lines. Make a 3-move plan for each common response so you save time in the opening.
Practical tips to use immediately in blitz
- When you reach +1 pawn or more: swap into simplest winning endgame possible. If you can trade pieces and keep a passed pawn — do it. Simplify and use the clock.
- In time trouble: pick safe active moves (develop or push pawn) over long calculations. If you’re ahead on material, choose moves that restrict opponent’s checks and counterplay.
- Pre-move safely: use pre-moves for obvious recaptures only. Avoid speculative pre-moves in sharp positions (they cost material/tempo).
- Keep a short checklist in your head each turn: checks? captures? threats? opponent’s mating ideas? That reduces "tunnel vision".
Suggested study resources (bite-sized)
- 15–30 minute tactical apps / puzzle rushes for pattern sharpening.
- Short practical endgame video or article on queen vs pawn races and rook endgames (watch one 10–15 min clip, then practise positions).
- Make a 1‑page opening cheat sheet: main lines and a typical middlegame plan for Alekhine Defense and your French lines.
Next session (checklist)
- Warm-up: 5 tactics (10 min).
- Play 3 blitz games (5|3) with the rule: if +material, simplify to an easily won ending.
- 5 minutes endgame practice: queen vs pawn racing positions.
- Write down 1 improvement noticed from those games.
One final note
You already have the instincts and the opening foundations — now make the clock and conversion your allies. Small, consistent practice (tactics + concrete endgames + short opening plans) will turn your current strengths into reliable wins.