Coach Chesswick
Hi Drunkenstiener — well played!
You’re consistently taking on 2600-level opposition and holding your own. The clip below, ending with 22.Qxg7#, shows the kind of crisp tactical execution that wins games:
Your current strengths
- Sharp calculation. You spot forcing sequences quickly (e.g. 15.Nc7! vs luka95 and 11.Nxf7!! vs Lector118).
- Opening variety. You handle both 1.e4 and 1.d4 positions and can switch between French/Alapin/Fianchetto setups as Black.
- Endgame resourcefulness. Even when objectively worse you often create counter-chances (see the queen ending against tooktook where you promoted a pawn under time pressure).
Key improvement areas
-
Time management. Three of the six recent losses came from flagging or scrambling in lost positions.
- Adopt a simple checkpoint rule: aim to have ≥ 1:45 on the clock after move 15 and ≥ 0:45 after move 30.
- Use premoves in clearly forced lines (captures-recaptures, obvious king moves, etc.).
-
King safety vs. pawn storms. In several defeats you advanced flank pawns early (h4, g4, b4) without completing development.
Example (loss to Lector118): after 10…h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Nxg5?! your king stayed in the centre and you never castled queenside or repositioned it.- Before pushing wing pawns ask, “Are my rooks connected?” and “Is my king committed to safety?”
- Consider the principle of two weaknesses two%20weaknesses. Storm only when the rest of the army is ready.
-
Handling opposite-side space grabs. Games vs raymclung and lipauska3 show you grabbing queenside space while your king gets hit on the dark squares.
- Review the Slav structures where …c6–c5 can be mistimed. Rehearse typical plans from master games.
- Play a few training games starting from the critical position below and defend the dark squares:
- Conversion technique when ahead. In the Caro-Kann vs ClassAct01 you were a rook up but let the clock run low. Practice the “30-second drill”: win a rook-up endgame vs the engine in ≤30 seconds real time.
Opening snapshot
| As White | Score | Next study step |
|---|---|---|
| Alapin Sicilian (2.c3) | 60 % | Prepare vs …d6 & …g6 setups (games vs tooktook) |
| Queen’s Pawn Zukertort | 78 % | Add model games of Carlsen to mimic middlegame plans |
| As Black | Score | Next study step |
| Slav / Caro - Kann | 55 % | Learn a crisp response to the Exchange variation to avoid dull pawn-endings |
| Modern setups (…g6) | 63 % | Study early h-pawn pushes vs the English (raymclung game) |
Stats & charts
Peak blitz rating:
When do you win most?
Consistency check:
Next-week training plan
- Day 1-2: Analyse two recent losses with engine; annotate mistakes and add them to your spaced-repetition deck.
- Day 3-4: Play 20 minutes of endgame drills (rook vs minor, queen vs rook).
- Day 5-6: 10 blitz games focusing on strict time checkpoints; abort any game where the checkpoint is missed.
- Day 7: Rest day – only watch a GM commentary video on your main openings.
Encouragement
You’re already beating 2600 players like lector118. Iron out the time-pressure slips, tighten your king safety rules, and 2700+ is within reach. Keep the knives sharp!