Avatar of David Reyes

David Reyes

dimenssion Guatemala Since 2009 (Active) Chess.com ♟♟♟♟♟
46.7%- 49.1%- 4.2%
Bullet 2524
34239W 36271L 2908D
Blitz 2253
4421W 4401L 540D
Rapid 1600
3W 0L 0D
Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

Quick summary

Nice work on your recent bullet mini‑session — you converted multiple wins with strong queen play and clean finishing. Your most instructive victory finished with an accurate queen invasion and mating net; the loss came on time against Jonathan Corbblah, a useful reminder that clock management decides more bullet games than most tactical issues.

Here is one game I recommend reviewing first (focus on the transition to the queen/endgame phase):

Game viewer:

What you're doing well (strengths to keep)

  • Strong queen activity in the endgame — you use checks repeatedly to herd the enemy king and force decisive tactics.
  • Good tactical instincts — you find forcing continuations (captures, forks, checks) quickly in messy positions.
  • Comfortable converting material and pawn advantages into mating nets or winning pawn races once the position simplifies.
  • Wide opening knowledge — variety gives practical chances against many opponents; keep the lines that score for you.

Main weaknesses to tackle (high-impact fixes)

These patterns show up in recent games and are quick wins to improve your bullet score:

  • Clock management: your loss to Jonathan Corbblah ended on time. In bullet the clock is often more decisive than a single blunder — avoid long thinky positions without increment.
  • Premoves and automatic replies: in sharp moments you sometimes make instinctive moves that allow tactical refutations. Slow down one extra click on captures or checks.
  • Specific openings: lines like the Caro-Kann Defense show a lower win rate — review typical pawn breaks and plan templates so you spend fewer seconds in the opening.
  • Rook coordination in simplified middlegames: trading at the wrong moment gave opponents counterplay. Watch for back-rank and rook lift motifs and keep rooks active.

Concrete drills to improve (15–30 minute sessions)

  • Tactics sprint (10–15 min): 1–3 move mates, forks, skewers. Speed builds pattern recognition — do this daily before play.
  • Endgame drill (10 min): king-and-pawn basics, queen-check sequences to force mate, and basic rook endgames. Practice converting simple advantages under time pressure.
  • Opening refresher (10 min): pick one problematic opening (start with the Caro-Kann Defense) and memorize 2 typical plans for each side — knight/ bishop squares, pawn break, and a safe queen outing.
  • Flag‑avoidance routine (5 min): play 5 bullet games where you enforce a personal rule — no >3s per move unless the position is clearly critical. This trains speed and reasonable decision making.

Micro checklist to use in bullet games

  • One-second scan before you move: any loose pieces, incoming checks, or opponent threats?
  • If there's a forcing win (capture/check), take it — forcing lines are highest practical value.
  • If the clock is low and the position is unclear: trade pieces and simplify to reduce blunder risk and time trouble.
  • Avoid premoves when the opponent has checks, captures, or promotions available — premove traps are the usual time sink.

Specific moments to review from recent games

Two focused study targets from the PGNs you provided:

  • Win vs Tushar Anand — replay the sequence where you traded into a queen + pawn endgame and used checks to herd the king. Note which checks forced favorable king routing and how you created the mating net.
  • Loss vs Jonathan Corbblah — study the final phase (moves ~30–40). The key takeaway is timing simplifications earlier and choosing safe moves when your clock is low. Example critical sequence (plain moves): Black played Rxg3, White replied Ra1, then the game continued with h6, f5, Kh7, Ng6, Be4, Nf8+ (check), Kg8, Ra8, Bxf5, Rf2, g6, Nxg6+ (check), Kg7, Ne7, Kf6, Rxf5+ Rxf5, and finally Rf8+ — the position and clock swung fast. Replay those moves and pause at each to ask: could I have simplified earlier or used a safe waiting move?

Practical 3‑day training plan

  • Day 1 — 15 minute tactics sprint + 10 bullet games with the "no >3s per move" rule.
  • Day 2 — Opening review (Caro-Kann key lines) + 15 minute endgame drill (queen checks and rook mates).
  • Day 3 — Play a 10‑game bullet block focusing on one concept (e.g., simplify when ahead). Review one loss in detail afterwards.

Short motivational close

Your recent trend is positive — your rating slopes and monthly changes show real progress. With a small focus on clock habits, a quick opening cheat-sheet, and short tactical/endgame sprints you’ll convert more winning positions into wins instead of time losses. Play smart and fast.

Want an annotated move-by-move review of a single game? Tell me which opponent (e.g., Jonathan Corbblah or Tushar Anand) and I’ll mark 3 critical moments and give exact alternatives.


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