Coach Chesswick
Quick summary for Robin Duson
Good job keeping a varied repertoire and grinding lots of blitz. Your opening win rates show clear strengths in systems like the Colle and Caro-Kann. Recent results show a dip this month, and the losses point to recurring practical issues rather than a single strategic gap. Below I list what you are doing well, the patterns behind the recent losses, and concrete steps to fix them.
Games to review
Start with these recent losses. Rewatch them with the question what changed between move 10 and move 30.
- Most recent loss: Review this game
- King-side collapse: Review this game
- Quick mating net: Review this game
What you are doing well
- Opening preparation: high win rates in Colle and Dőry show you understand typical plans and ideas there.
- Tactical sense: your overall win record and strength-adjusted win rate (~57%) show you spot tactics often and convert chances.
- Versatility: you play many different openings and can switch comfortably when opponents try to avoid your prep.
- Endgame patience: when you reach simplified positions you usually squeeze out wins — keep that up.
Recurring problems behind recent losses
Across the games above I see a few clear, repeatable patterns:
- King safety issues when the center opens. Several losses came after the opponent opened lines toward your king or launched a pawn storm. When the center was fluid you sometimes delayed creating luft or trading attackers.
- Material grabs that backfired. Taking a remote pawn or grabbing with the queen left you vulnerable to tactical replies and active piece play from the opponent.
- Time management in critical moments. Blitz habits left you with little time when complex decisions were required, leading to inaccuracies or missed defensive resources.
- Allowing passed pawns to advance in long endgames. In long games you sometimes end up passive while the opponent’s pawns queen or create decisive activity.
Concrete improvements — drill plan you can start this week
Short, focused practice yields big blitz gains. Do these consistently for one week and reassess.
- Tactics 15–20 minutes daily. Focus on defensive tactics (finding the right interposition and saving checks) as well as forks and pins. Aim for quick recognition, not deep engine solves.
- Two 30-minute opening sessions this week. Pick the opening that gave you trouble most recently (for example the queens-pawn/English-b6 setups you met in recent games) and learn 3 typical pawn breaks and one common tactical trap for both sides. Use example games and one short model game to memorize plans. (Opening)
- One endgame session (30 minutes): king + pawn vs king, and basic rook endgames. Practise the mechanics of stopping and creating passed pawns. These pay off in long blitz fights where opponents try to outlast you.
- Timed training: play 10 blitz games but force yourself to take at least 4 seconds for every move in complex positions for the first 20 moves. This improves decision quality under the clock.
- Post-game routine: review every loss for 3 minutes immediately after the game and tag the main cause (tactics, time, opening, endgame). This makes patterns visible quickly.
Practical in-game checklist for blitz
- Before your move: check for direct checks, captures, and threats for both sides — 3-second scan.
- If you grab material, quickly ask: does my king become exposed or do I lose development? If yes, decline the grab or prepare it first.
- If the center opens, prioritize king safety and simplifying trades when you are worse coordinated.
- When ahead in material: trade down to fewer pieces and avoid complications that let the opponent attack your king.
- Use 5–10 extra seconds on any pass that creates a passed pawn or allows the opponent to get a passed pawn.
Mini homework (30–60 minutes total)
- Do a 15-minute tactical session focused on pins and back-rank motifs.
- Pick one loss from above (start with this game). Replay it and write down the one moment where your position went from equal to worse. Ask what defensive resource existed.
- Study one model game in your favorite opening where the defender handles a kingside attack well. Copy the defensive plan into your notes.
If you want, I can help with
- Building a 4-week blitz training plan tailored to your openings and time budget.
- Annotating one loss move-by-move with simple verbal explanations so you can internalize the defensive ideas.
- Creating a short trick-sheet for the openings you play, listing 6 typical traps to watch for.
Tell me which of the three follow-up options above you want and I will prepare it. Also say if you want more deep analysis of a specific game: Review this game