Coach Chesswick
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- Add the line 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Nf3 Nc6 to your opening files—prepare a safe reply to …a5.
- Play two training games starting from the diagram after 19…Ne5 (loss vs semion03032009) against the computer set to 2500 and practice converting.
- 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!