Hi Marjoire!
Nice work keeping an aggressive style and a healthy ~1200-1300 rapid rating while occasionally punching above your weight in blitz (peaks near 2007 (2020-12-21)). Let’s turn recent streaks into consistent climbs.
Your Current Strengths
- Tactical Vision – In your win vs. Karin Gamarra you found the …Qd2!! clearance motif and finished with mate. Your pieces “see” combinations.
- Initiative-First Mindset – Early pawn storms (f-pawn pushes, g-pawns in Sicilians) often put the opponent on the back foot.
- Calculation Under Pressure – You frequently convert with <10 s on the clock. Example: —spot-on forced line.
Recurring Leaks
- Clock Management – 3 of your last 5 losses were on time while the position was playable. A steady 10-15 s reserve each move in rapid will eliminate free losses.
- Early-Queen Adventures – Moves such as 3.Qh5 (Bishop’s Opening) or 6.Qh6 (French) win pawns but slow development and invite …g6/h6 tempos. That cost you vs. Madrigal1971 and supereagles1201.
- Loose King Safety – Multiple pawn thrusts (f-, g-, h-pawns) without completing development left your king stuck in the center (see 2023-10-31 vs. Dragan Zivic).
Opening Tune-Up (First 10 Moves)
You don’t need dozens of openings—just tighten the ones you already play.
| With White | Practical Adjustments |
|---|---|
| Closed Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nc3) |
• Replace early 3.f4 with 3.Nf3, 4.g3, 5.Bg2 – safer king. • Study the Grand Prix plan: f4-f5 ONLY after castling. |
| French Exchange / Bishop’s |
• Skip 3.Qh5—prefer 3.Nc3 (classical) or 3.exd5 (simpler). • Remember the 3-golden-rules of development: center, pieces, king safety. |
| With Black | |
| French …e6 d5 |
• After 3.Nc3, pick ONE line (3…Bb4 or 3…Nf6) and learn 5-move deep
theory. • Use the thematic pawn break …c5 earlier—don’t let White build a big center. |
| Closed Sicilian (vs. 2.Nc3) |
• Mirror setup: …e6 Nc6 g6 Bg7 Nge7, then strike …d5. • Drill the …d5 pawn-sac tactic—fits your attacking style. |
Middlegame Checklist
- Before advancing flank pawns ask “Is my king 100 % safe?”. If not, castle first.
- Count attackers vs. defenders on the target square (Rule of Thumb: need one more attacker).
- When up material, trade pieces not pawns—converted brilliantly in the arcg10 game.
Endgame Focus
Most of your decisive results happen before move 40, yet you sometimes reach R+P endings (see 2023-10-31 vs. supereagles1201). Spend one week on:
- King & Pawn basics – Opposition, outside passer.
- Lucena & Philidor rook positions.
- Practice with Chess.com endgame drills for 15 minutes/day.
Time-Management Drill
Use the 5-second rule: make some move within 5 s in non-critical positions, banking time for the tough moments. Your
clearly improves when you keep >60 s on the clock entering move 15.Short-Term Training Plan (4 Weeks)
- Alternate 1 day tactics (Puzzle Rush 25+ score) with 1 day annotated master game (20-30 moves).
- Play two 10|0 games nightly; right after each, spend 10 minutes on self-review using the “Explain my moves” feature—don’t skip lost wins.
- Every Sunday, pick one critical position and analyse 15 minutes deeply with no engine, then compare.
Mindset
Remember: Attack because the position tells you to, not because the
clock does.
Your creativity is your super-power; disciplined development will turn it
into rating points.
Good luck and keep me posted on your progress—see you over the board!