Dobby WFM

Hi Dobby, here’s a tailored post-game report

What you already do well

• Active openings: Your Sicilian (both Najdorf & Kan) and Caro-Kann setups show you’re comfortable in sharp structures and unbalanced positions.
• Tactical vision: Many wins (e.g. dan1027 2025-04-17) were decided by precise combinations such as 31...Nxb3+ followed by 36…Rb1#. You rarely miss direct tactics when the idea is already on the board.
• Practical use of the clock: You seldom flag in 3 + 2. Even in sharp positions you keep 15–25 seconds, which is healthy for this time-control.

Patterns that cost you points

1. Premature flank pawn pushes
   • Loss vs eloiseda (B41 Kan, 2025-04-17): 11.g4 12.g5 weakened dark squares; you never recovered.
   • Winawer game vs laudrup64: 9.Qg4, 10.h4, 11.h5 left your king in the centre and Black broke with …d4 …f5.
   Rule of thumb: Launch pawns only when (a) you’re ahead in development or (b) the centre is closed. If neither is true, improve pieces first.
2. Handling of the Maroczy bind structures
   In both wins and losses you reached the bind with c4 & e4 vs …c5. When you were Black (loss to Eloiseda) you hesitated with …d5 or …b5 and allowed White full space. Study thematic breaks in the Maroczy Bind: …d5, …b5, sometimes …e5.
3. Central tension in Nimzo/Queen’s Indian setups
   Two recent losses (Bressiaander & Wlodek-szachy) arose because you exchanged on c3/d5 too early, handing White the pair of bishops and the initiative. Remember: in Nimzo structures you usually delay …Bxc3 until you gain something concrete (structure damage, control of e4, or a half-open file).
4. Conversion & endgame technique
   You often reach winning positions but give opponents drawing chances (e.g. game vs Kenntnisreichspieler: 26…Nd4?? let the queen enter). Basic rook endings and “good knight vs bad bishop” drills will give you 30–40 free rating points.

Opening checkpoints for the next month

Training menu

• Daily: 20 tactical puzzles; pause any puzzle you solve in <30 s and ask “Why did that tactic exist?”.
• Weekly: Play two 10 + 5 games focused on endgame conversion. Annotate without an engine first, then compare.
• Endgame focus: R+P vs R, and 4-pawn rook endings. They appear surprisingly often in 3 + 2 when queens come off.
• Review cadence: Use the charts below to spot tilt sessions and schedule breaks.
  
   

Your current milestones

Peak Blitz rating: 2204 (2022-12-11)   •  Target for May: +60 points.

Micro-exercise (play vs engine)

Set up the following critical position from your loss to Eloiseda (after 24…Raf8) and try to hold as White for 20 moves:

Good luck, and enjoy the climb!