Coach Chesswick
Hi Danet!
Here is some personalised, constructive feedback based on your recent games.
What You Are Doing Well
- Attacking mindset. In many of your wins (e.g. vs gienq0_o and bostyu) you used early pawn storms (g-pawn & h-pawn thrusts) to rip open files and keep the initiative. Your courage to sacrifice material for activity is a real asset.
- Piece activity. You prioritise bringing rooks to open files (Rd1, Re1, Rc1…) and place knights on central outposts, often forcing concessions.
- Conversion with a material edge. When up material you generally trade pieces smoothly and steer into winning endgames (see the Scandinavian win vs nickbartlett19).
Priority Areas to Improve
- Time management. Four of your last six losses were “won on time” or under 5 seconds on the clock. Try the “code-two-moves” rule: after you play a move, mentally predict the two most likely replies during the opponent’s clock to stay ahead.
- King safety in sharp openings. In the loss to arcadista12 your king never left danger after 14.e5?! and 18.h4? creating holes on the dark squares. Before launching a pawn storm ask:
“If the attack fails, what squares around my king become weak?”
A single tempo spent on h3 (instead of h4) or castling long can keep the king safer without killing the attack. - Endgame technique vs passed pawns. In the same game you promoted a b-pawn but let the knight & king coordinate to regain control. Study “rook vs passed pawn” endings; knowing the Lucena and Philidor positions will convert many of these.
- Opening depth. Your repertoire is sound (Sicilian/Najdorf, Caro-Kann, Scandinavian, King’s Pawn), yet some lines drift early:
- After 5…dxe4 in the Caro-Kann Classical you allowed 6.Bd3 Qxd4?!, a sideline that cedes development. Memorise the main line 5…Nbd7 or 5…Ngf6.
- Against 3…d5 in the Grand Prix (loss vs koeytjie) be ready for 6.Bb5 d4!. Best response is 7.Ne2 followed by castling, not the immediate 7.d3? which walked into …Qa5+.
Illustrative Moments
Successful Kingside Breakthrough
Note how every pawn push gained space and opened a line for a piece. Aim to replicate this structure when the position justifies it.
Critical Slip Under Time Pressure
You were still objectively winning after queening, but with <10 seconds you repeated moves and let Black coordinate. Practical tip: the moment you promote, pre-move Rb7+ or Qg8+ to force simplifications and harvest increments.
Training Plan (4-Week Micro-cycle)
| Day | Task | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | 10 tactical puzzles focused on defensive motifs (saves time and reduces blunders) | 20′ |
| Tue | Review one recent loss; annotate 5 critical moments | 25′ |
| Wed | Endgame drill: rook vs pawn & knight (use Lichess studies or physical board) | 25′ |
| Thu | Opening repair session (see bullet #4) | 15′ |
| Fri | Play 3 rapid (10+5) games applying the week’s theme | — |
| Weekend | Rest / casual play only | — |
Your Progress At A Glance
Peak blitz rating: 1771 (2023-12-27)
Keep the fighting spirit, Danet. Sharpen your time handling and tighten the king’s defenses and you’ll break the 1800 barrier soon. Good luck!