Harut Akopyan FM

Overall Performance and Rating Trends

Harut, your recent games show solid competitive spirit with a near 50% strength adjusted win rate. While your 1-month rating dip of 31 points is notable, your 3- and 6-month rating changes and positive trend slopes indicate that you're making a steady long-term improvement. These fluctuations are common in blitz due to the faster time controls and require patience and consistent practice.

Positives from Your Recent Blitz Games

• You demonstrate good preparedness in popular openings like the French Defense King's Indian Attack and Italian Game. This helps you reach playable middlegames with chances.
• Your tactical alertness is strong, often capitalizing on opponent mistakes effectively — several wins ended after opponents blundered.
• Transitioning your development into active piece play and king safety is generally sound, leading to solid positions going forward.
• Clock management in most wins is effective, helping you maintain pressure in critical moments.

Areas for Improvement

• Opening Consistency: While you use familiar openings, some games show early structural concessions or loss of the initiative after exchanges. Review main lines in your favorite openings like the Colle System and Ruy Lopez to minimize losing tempo or weakened squares early on.
• Tactical Awareness Under Pressure: Some losses involve tactical oversights in critical moments. Continue training with tactical puzzles to sharpen pattern recognition especially when the clock is ticking.
• Endgame Technique: Several games reached complex endgames where precision could have yielded better outcomes. Studying key endgame motifs (King and pawn, rook endgames) will extend your winning chances and hold difficult positions.
• Time Management in Declining Moments: A few losses were due to running out of time or making rushed moves under time pressure. Practicing incremental time controls and using the clock wisely can improve this aspect.
• Positional Planning: Developing clearer plans once the opening transitions to middlegame will help maintain initiative. Try to focus on improving pawn structure and control of key squares to restrict opponents’ counterplay.

Practical Recommendations

• Analyze your recent games in depth after play sessions, especially focusing on the turning points where advantage changed.
• Incorporate regular tactical exercises to keep your calculation sharp.
• Study thematic endgames relevant to your base openings to convert advantages confidently.
• Consider experimenting with a slightly slower time control occasionally to deepen understanding and reduce time pressure errors.
• Review key concepts of your opening repertoire, emphasizing move orders and plans to avoid losing initiative early.

Encouragement

Maintaining a positive slope in your long-term rating and continuing to compete actively are signs you are on the right path. Blitz games challenge quick thinking — gradual improvement in fundamentals pays off with better results over time. Keep up the hard work, and enjoy your chess journey!