Coach Chesswick
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
-
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. -
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. -
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). -
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
| As Black | As White |
|---|---|
|
• Prepare an anti-Maroczy plan: 1…c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 4…a6 5.c4 (bind) → study the …d5 break • Nimzo-Indian: practise the line 4…O-O 5.Nf3 d5 with rapid piece play instead of early …c5. |
• vs Alekhine & Pirc: your 9.h3 systems score well; focus on the middle-game plans rather than memorising more moves. • Sharpen your quiet answers to the Kan: instead of 11.g4 try 11.Be2 or 11.f3 with long-term pressure. |
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!