Coach Chesswick
Hi Alexey!
What you’re already doing well
- Fighting Spirit & Tactics – Your games against uralbek2010 and themac74 show sharp tactical awareness and the confidence to calculate long forcing lines.
- Piece Activity – When the position opens up you’re quick to occupy key files and diagonals (e.g. 22.Rxa8!! in your latest win).
- Conversion Technique – The rook endgame versus ibogus demonstrates good end-game patience and an ability to convert small advantages.
Recurring issues to address
-
Unstable Opening Choices (especially with White)
The sequence1.f3 2.c3 3.Kf2appears in several losses (see the PGN vs Sbsob). It concedes the centre, weakens king safety and wastes tempi. Recommendation: adopt a sound main-line such as the Italian (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 3.Bc4) or the Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4). Spend one week building a narrow but solid repertoire; lean on model games annotated by strong players. -
Pawn Thrusts without Backup
Early …g5/…h5 with Black (loss vs Kgaogelo1) and …h4/…g5 in several White games often leave weak squares around your king. Drill the concept of pawn storms only when the centre is closed. Re-watch your own games focusing on pawn moves before move 10 and ask “which piece is improving?”. -
Time Management
A third of your results (both wins and losses) are decided on the clock. You spend too long in unclear positions and then blitz in critical moments. Action plan:- Play 10-minute games with a 5-second increment for one week. Force yourself to keep at least 50% of your time after move 15.
- During post-game review, note the move numbers where you dropped below 60 seconds.
Concrete study plan for the next month
| Week | Main focus | Daily task (≈30 min) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opening Fundamentals | Watch one video or chapter on Italian/QGD and play 3 rapid games applying it. |
| 2 | King Safety | Solve 20 tactics filtered by “king attack/defence”; annotate mistakes. |
| 3 | Endgame Technique | Replay 10 master rook endings; then practice vs engine set to 2000 Elo. |
| 4 | Practical Time Use | Play 15 | 10 games; record time after every 10 moves; aim for even pace. |
Illustrative Snapshot
Below is the critical stretch of your recent loss to Sbsob; notice how the pawn pushes created targets for Black’s minor pieces:
Track your progress
You were recently at 2370 (2017-09-04). Keep an eye on these trend charts:
- – spot the times of day when you blunder least.
- – use rest days if you see a fatigue pattern.
Key concepts to revise
Make flashcards with definitions & examples for Tempo, KingSafety, Outpost, and Zwischenzug.
Encouragement
Your creativity and calculation skills are clear strengths. By grounding them in sound openings and disciplined time use, pushing past the 2200 barrier is well within reach. Enjoy the journey and keep analysing!