Hi Paul, here are some personalized pointers to keep your rating climbing!
1. Opening Priorities
- French structures as Black – In several recent French-Defense losses (e.g. vs INLOVEWITHF), you fell behind after ...b6 and ...Nc4 ideas that loosened the queenside too early. Try the classical plan …c5/…Nc6/…f6 only after completing development. A quick review of the French Advance main line will help; see French Defense Advance.
- Old-Indian successes – Your win vs Sueetin shows good feel for locked pawn chains. Keep that in your repertoire and deepen the strategic themes (breaks with …f5 and …e5, piece reroutes to g5/h4).
- Track which openings score best at what hours with . Shift your practice sessions to the time blocks where you score highest.
2. Middlegame Technique
- King safety first. In the loss against INLOVEWITHF your king walked into cross-fire after 29 …Qc6. Before launching pawn storms, ask “What is my opponent’s only active plan?” If it is an attack on your king, reinforce first.
- Piece coordination. You often relocate minor pieces creatively (e.g. Nh4–f5 in your Ruy Lopez win), but sometimes leave rooks undeveloped. A good rule: by move 15 both rooks should see at least one open or half-open file.
- Pick one critical moment per game and feed it to an engine after you annotate it yourself. Compare ideas; this tightens calculation discipline.
3. Endgame Awareness
- Your conversion in the Berlin-endgame vs Sueetin was smooth until the clock scramble. Study a few model rook-and-pawn endgames (Lucena, Philidor) to finish such games more confidently.
- In rapid time controls, simplify into favorable endings rather than chasing complications when ahead on material.
4. Time Management
- Most of your blunders occur with <25 seconds left. Adopt a “30-second rule”: if your clock dips below 30 s you must choose the safest reasonable move instead of the “best” move.
- Monitor your trend with ; many players tilt on specific weekdays or after long sessions.
5. Snapshot of a Teaching Moment
Missed resource from your last loss (Black to move):
Here, instead of 27 …a5, the immediate 27 …Qxc5! activates the queen, regains the pawn, and keeps the passed b-pawn under control.
6. Goals for the Next 30 Games
- Enter every French Advance game with a clear plan: challenge the center with …c5 and decide early whether to play …f6 or …Nh6–f5.
- Reach +2 pawn rook endings and convert at ≥80 % (track with your own spreadsheet).
- Keep average time remaining >45 s by move 20; flag any game that breaks the rule and review why.
Quick Stats
Your current peak ratings: Blitz 2716 (2017-08-04), Rapid . Aim to improve each by 50 pts over the next quarter.
Good luck, Paul—keep the pieces coordinated and the clock under control!