Ariel Erenberg IM

Hi Ariel, here is your personalized post-match review!

What you’re already doing well

• Confident initiative with Black. Your latest win against taytay748 shows you handle the Caro-Kann structures well—queenside pawn storms (…a5/a4) and timely central breaks (…dxe4 …Nxe4) gave you lasting activity.
• Tactical alertness. Ideas such as 21…Nxg3!! and 32…Qxh5+ demonstrate good calculation skills and courage to enter sharp lines.
• Practical endgame play. Even with little time you converted a material edge smoothly, coordinating rooks and knight to force mate.

Key improvement priorities

1. Time management. In several losses you started repeating moves (e.g. moves 43–51 vs semion03032009) while ahead on material. • Enter the critical line decisively instead of “hovering.” • Aim to stay ≥15 seconds ahead until move 25 by using premoves in familiar opening branches.
2. Handling flank pawn pushes as White. Quick …a5/…a4 thrusts caused structural damage in your English/Queen’s-Indian setups. • After playing b3 or a3, be ready for …a4 and meet it with bxa4, Na3, or timely central breaks (e4 / d4) so the rook on a1 isn’t tied down.
3. Converting extra material under pressure. In the loss to semion03032009 you were a pawn up yet allowed counter-play on the b-file. • Before grabbing pawns ask, “Can my opponent activate a rook for free?” • Practice the “two-move safety check” to spot replies like …Rb8, …Ra5.

Opening snapshot

• Black repertoire: Caro-Kann (B10/B18), Queen’s Indian, English-type defenses – positive score.
• White repertoire: Ruy Lopez & English – mixed results, especially vs early …c5/…a5 ideas.

Targeted homework

• Review 10-minute clip on the …a5/…a4 motif in the English (search in your Chess.com video library).
• Solve 15 tactical puzzles daily focused on overloaded pieces and zwischenzug.
• Play three 3|2 games this week but stop the clock after move 30 and annotate why each pawn move was played.

Quick reference

Your current peak ratings: Blitz 2858 (2022-07-25), Bullet 2667 (2021-10-22).
Progress visuals:

Example study position

Replay the critical sequence from your win to reinforce the Nxg3 idea:

Action items for the coming week

1. Add the line 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Nf3 Nc6 to your opening files—prepare a safe reply to …a5.
2. Play two training games starting from the diagram after 19…Ne5 (loss vs semion03032009) against the computer set to 2500 and practice converting.
3. During every blitz session, verbalize “king safety” before move 15; this alone will cut down on opponents’ counterplay.

Keep up the hard work, Ariel—refining these small habits will quickly add 50-100 blitz Elo. Enjoy the grind!