Dragan Milutinovic

Quick summary

Nice string of rapid games — energetic, tactical, and opportunistic. You converted several concrete chances (clever knight jumps and tactical captures) but one game shows a recurring king-safety/back-rank vulnerability that cost you. Small, focused work will turn those good instincts into a steadier + score.

What you did well (concrete examples)

• Active piece play: in the Philidor game you exchanged queens early, castled long and used knight jumps (Nd5+ then Ng5+) to chase a king stuck in the centre — good sense of when to open lines against the enemy king. See the game:
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• Tactical alertness: you spotted and executed material gains (for example the Nxa8 idea in the Bishop’s Opening win) — you’re seeing tactics as they arise, not missing simple forks and checks.
• Good endgame conversion instincts in many games: you simplify into favorable material or activity and push the opponent until they crack (several resignations rather than long defense).
• Opening preferences pay off: your biggest win rates are in Bishop’s Opening and some offbeat systems where you’re clearly comfortable — lean into them while shoring up weaker lines.

Key mistakes & patterns to fix

• King safety / back-rank tactics: in your recent loss (French-structure game) heavy pieces infiltrated the back rank and a final Rh4# finished the attack. Check for weak squares and rogues on the back rank before pushing pawns around your king or trading off key defenders.
• Loose coordination after trades: when queens or rooks are exchanged you sometimes leave a rook or pawn structure vulnerable (allowing enemy rooks to double or invade). After every exchange ask “who occupies the open files and who has back-rank issues?”.
• Reactive moves vs proactive prophylaxis: several positions where you could have prevented threats (a waiting or defensive move that keeps the opponent off the 7th rank was missing). A small prophylactic move often costs nothing and removes tactical shots.
• Inconsistent handling of specific openings: your stats show weaker results vs Sicilian and Scandinavian — spend time on the typical pawn structures and opponent break ideas so you don’t get surprised out of the opening.

Concrete training plan (next 4 weeks)

• Daily tactics: 10–15 puzzles/day focused on back-rank mates, forks and discovered attacks. Prioritize pattern recognition over speed.
• Back-rank checklist (practice in warmups):
  • Are any of my back-rank squares weak (no luft)?
  • Could opponent double rooks or swing a rook to the 2nd/7th rank next move?
  • Do I have defender(s) covering 1st rank squares?
• One opening per week: pick your top 2 comfort openings (Bishop’s Opening and the Italian/Two Knights system). Drill typical middlegame plans and worst-case replies from the opponent. Use your games as study material: review the moments you felt uncomfortable and save 5 key positions to memorize plans.
• One short endgame session/week: basic rook endgames, simple king+pawn races and Lucena/Berger ideas — these pay off in rapid time controls.
• Review 2 recent losses deeply: replay each loss slowly (10+ min) and ask at least 3 “what if” alternatives for the critical moments. Mark the recurring mistakes and add them to a private checklist.

Practical tips to use at the board (rapid games)

• Before every move in complex positions, ask: “Does this move create a back-rank or weak-square problem?” — a 3-second habit check prevents many tactical losses.
• If you win material, trade down to remove opponent’s counterplay and then activate your king/rooks — don’t rush to exchange if it opens files for your opponent’s heavy pieces.
• When castling long (as you did successfully), keep a pawn shield on the side you castled toward — a single pawn push can open dangerous lines.
• Time management: in 10|0 rapid keep the first 10 moves under 3–4 minutes total so you have reserve for tactical middlegames.

Opening & repertoire notes

• Philidor / centre games — you played this well: queen exchange + castling long worked because you targeted the king. Continue practicing typical breaks and when to trade queens. See this opening: Philidor Defense.
• Bishop’s Opening — one of your best areas. Keep the tactical ideas (Bxf7+, Nb jumping to a8 ideas) in an examples file and review monthly. See: Bishop's Opening.
• Sicilian & Scandinavian — noticeable lower win rates. Spend 30 minutes twice a week on these: learn 2 reliable anti-Sicilian replies and one safe Scandinavian line so you don’t get early structural damage.

Short checklist before you press the clock

• Are any of my major pieces undefended or overloaded?
• Does my king have luft and adequate pawn shield?
• Who controls the open files and 7th/2nd ranks?
• If I win material, how will I neutralize the opponent’s counterplay?

Follow-up & study recommendations

• Replay the two recent losses and save 5 critical positions to a study/chesscoach file — annotate what you missed.
• Do a 20–30 minute tactics session immediately before each play session to warm up pattern recognition.
• Weekly review: pick one win and one loss and write 3 lessons from each — this makes learning sticky.
• If you want, I can create a 2-week tactic pack and 5 annotated positions from your recent games. Tell me which game to focus on (for example the Philidor win or the French loss).

Useful quick links

• Opponent from recent games: dede213111111
• Opponent from another win: azwinndin
• Opening references: English Opening, French Defense

Closing

Your strengths are clear: tactical vision and active piece play. Fixing a few recurring safety/coordination habits and focused opening work will convert more of your good positions into wins. If you want, I’ll prepare a tailored 2-week exercise set (tactics + 5 annotated positions) based on the Philidor and French games — tell me which one to prioritise.