Erik Rönkä FM

Hi Erik!

You are playing exciting, forward–moving chess and are already a strong 2500-ish blitz player (your current 2652 (2025-05-24) speaks for itself). Below is some targeted, constructive feedback drawn from your latest games, plus an action plan to keep the curve pointing upward.

What you are doing well

• Opening ambition. As White you repeatedly seize space with the Advance Caro-Kann, Botvinnik Carls, and early h and g pawn storms. Your win vs carlndaluz2 shows how 6.d6!  followed by rapid development can put Black on the back foot immediately.
• Tactical alertness. Your wins feature clean combinations (e.g. the Nd6⁺–Ba3 theme against the Modern) and you rarely miss direct mates once initiative is secured.
• Resourcefulness in messy positions. In the marathon vs The_game_of_art you converted an a pawn race while dodging perpetuals with only seconds left – impressive nerves.

Recurring issues to address

• King safety vs strong opposition. Fast flank pawn pushes sometimes leave dark-square holes. In the Scandinavian loss you walked into …Qh3/Qh2# after g- and h-pawn advances:
  
  . Lesson: before each pawn thrust ask “Can my king still hide next move?”
• Handling of cramped/defensive setups. In the King’s Indian (loss to Rodwell Makoto) you spent 70 seconds manoeuvring but let the clock drop to zero in a still playable position. You need a reliable plan when under pressure so you don’t burn all your time.
• Alekhine Defence & early queen raids. Both recent Alekhine games collapsed after …Qb6/…Qa5/…c5 ideas left pieces undeveloped. Consider tightening your repertoire with the solid …d6 → …g6 → …Bg7 lines, or temporarily shelving Alekhine for something more resilient until you patch these move-order issues.

Action plan

1. One hour of “king-safety audit” per week. Filter your database for games lost by direct attack or back-rank mates. Identify the earliest move where you weakened without reason.
2. Drill defensive technique. • Play ten games starting two pawns down but with a safe king.
   • Practise the “prophylaxis check-list”: What does my opponent want? How do I stop it? (see prophylaxis).
3. Opening cleanup.
   • White vs …d5: keep the Scandinavian gambit line, but add a quieter backup (3.Nf3 → d4) for surprise value.
   • Black vs 1.e4: test-drive the Modern Defence you handled well against jarred-vanderbilt; import two annotated model games and play thematic blitz until the move orders feel natural.
4. Time-management rule. Never let your clock dip below 30 seconds before move 20 in 3+0. If you reach 40 seconds, play a solid waiting move and catch your breath.
5. Track your progress. Review performance charts monthly – start with your
   and
   to see when you play sharpest.

Motivational snapshot

You are scoring over 65% in the last 20 games despite punching above your rating. Iron out the few structural leaks and your next personal best is around the corner. Good luck, and enjoy the journey!