elboriQuique

Quick summary

Nice session overall — your recent blitz shows calm handling of sharp sacrificial lines and the tactical finishing ability to convert complicated positions. You score well against common Philidor-style setups (Philidor Defense) and repeatedly punish opponents who over-extend. At the same time there are recurring tactical leaks (knight forks, lost material on the queenside) and some inconsistent time management that cost a handful of games.

Games I reviewed

Key example: you converted a chaotic middlegame into a mate with a knight tactic — replay the decisive phase below.

• Replay the finishing sequence:
  
• Opponent profile: Robotic Pawn

What you’re doing well

• Handling sacrifices: When opponents play the bishop-to-f7 shot you stay composed, trade precisely and turn the attack into counterplay. That’s a big practical edge in blitz.
• Tactical finishing: You find forcing tactical motifs (mates, forks) in complex positions — you convert them instead of drifting into simplifications that lose momentum.
• Opening variety: You play many systems, which keeps opponents uncomfortable and gives you practical chances (your openings list shows many games in lines like Philidor Defense).
• Practical time usage: You often keep enough time for the critical phase and can convert with under a minute on the clock.

Most important things to improve

• Watch for knights and forking shots around c2/a1 and e2 — several losses stem from letting enemy knights jump into tactical outposts and win material. Before every capture, ask: “Does this leave a fork?”
• Back‑rank and escape squares — in some games you allowed decisive back‑rank or mating motifs. Create luft or keep a rook/king escape in mind when the queens and heavy pieces are on the board.
• Material-temptation traps — opponents snatch flashy material (rook/square grabs) that leaves them with long-term tactical problems. Before grabbing, verify opponent’s counterthreats (discovered checks, pins, forks).
• Consistent time trend — your recent changes show volatility. Avoid flag-reliance: winning on time is fine, but reduce games lost on tactics when down on the clock.

Concrete drills & a 4-session plan (blitz-focused)

Short, focused practice works best for blitz. Do the following over four 30–45 minute sessions:

• Session 1 — Tactical motifs (20 min): drill knight forks, discovered checks and pins on a tactic trainer. Focus on patterns you miss (forks on c2/a1 and knight jumps to e2). Finish with 15 fast 3‑minute tactic puzzles.
• Session 2 — Back-rank & king safety (30 min): practice simple endgames and typical back‑rank mates. Train “create luft” as a reflex when endgame/queens trade is likely.
• Session 3 — Opening consolidation (30 min): pick 1–2 reliable systems for both colors (keep to things you naturally like, e.g., the Philidor lines you already play). Learn 5 typical plans, not 20 moves of theory. Use mini-games vs engine at low depth.
• Session 4 — Practical blitz workout (45 min): play 8–12 five-minute games with constraints: 1) enforce one small goal per game (no grabbing on c2/a1 without calculation), 2) aim to maintain 20–30 seconds on the clock at move 20. Review 2 losses quickly to see if the same motif repeats.

Quick tactical checklist (use this during games)

• Before any capture: scan for enemy forks, discovered attacks, pins.
• If your opponent sacrifices on f7/g7: trade when safe, keep king cover, bring rooks to open files quickly.
• When ahead materially: swap queens and simplify unless there is immediate counterplay.
• Low time? Prioritize safe moves that avoid tactical complications — don’t gamble when short on clock.

Small habit changes that pay off

• Spend 2 extra seconds after each opponent move to spot candidate checks and knight jumps.
• In opening phase, aim for piece activity and king safety over grabbing a pawn.
• Keep a personal “blunder file”: save 2–3 short positions you lost from and review weekly so you stop repeating the same pattern.

Next steps

If you want, tell me which game (the mate, the resignation, or the time-win) you want a deeper move-by-move critique for and I’ll produce an annotated replay. You can also ask for a 7‑day micro plan for improving your blitz rating.

• Opponent replay / profile: Robotic Pawn
• Opening to study next: Philidor Defense