Coach Chesswick
What went well in your recent blitz games
You demonstrated sharp tactical vision and a willingness to seize the initiative when the position allowed it. In your winning game, you pursued a forcing sequence that opened lines against your opponent’s king and capitalized on exchanges to reach a favorable endgame. You also kept your pieces active—using rooks on open files and coordinating your queen and minor pieces effectively to create and convert threats.
- Calculated, forcing ideas when your opponent exposed their king
- Active piece placement and pressure on key files and squares
- Strong conversion after winning material, transitioning into a winning rook endgame
Key areas to improve
- Time management in blitz: your recent losses and draws suggest you can drift into time trouble. Build a simple two-tier plan for each game: quick safety checks in the opening, then decisive, focused calculations in the middlegame, while reserving a comfortable amount of time for the endgame when it arises.
- Endgame technique: several long games ended in rook-and-pawn endings or complex rook endings. Practice standard rook endgames (rook behind a passed pawn, active king, and knowing when to simplify) to convert more of these games into wins or draws.
- Define a clear middlegame plan after the opening: after seeing frequent exchanges, identify a concrete plan (target a specific pawn break, open a file, or create a passed pawn) within the first 20–25 moves. If the plan isn’t feasible, aim to simplify to a familiar endgame rather than chasing a unclear initiative.
- Opening specialization: pick 1–2 openings to study deeply for blitz. Knowing typical middlegame plans and common pitfalls for those lines will reduce decision fatigue and improve consistency under time pressure.
Training plan for the coming days
- Daily: 15–20 minutes of tactical puzzles focused on forcing lines and precise calculation in the middlegame
- Endgames: 3 sessions this week on rook endgames and common rook-pawn endings
- Opening study: choose 1–2 lines from your blitz repertoire (for example, the Philidor/Canal setups and the Sicilian Canal Attack) and review typical middlegame plans and typical mistakes you may face
- Time management drill: play blitz with a timer and after each game review where you spent the most time; create a plan to speed up those decision points in future games
Optional quick replay of the notable win
If you’d like, you can view a quick replay of the highlighted win to study the tactical sequence and transitions into the endgame.