Coach Chesswick
Hi etc-etouu!
You are playing lively, dynamic chess around the 2200-2240 level and your recent win-loss record shows impressive attacking skills mixed with a few avoidable slips. Below is some constructive feedback aimed at helping you climb to the next milestone.
1. What you’re already doing well
- Flexible 1.Nf3 / g3 repertoire. By delaying an early pawn commit you frequently steer opponents into less-theoretical positions that you understand better.
- Hitting thematic breaks. The pawn levers
c4,e4/e5and the g-pawn push appear in many of your wins and create tactical chances. A good example is your latest win: . - Tactical alertness. Quiet piece manoeuvring is often followed by a sudden shot (e.g. 26.Ng5! in the same game, 26.Qxe6+!! in your Catalan win, etc.).
- Opening preparation versus higher-rated players. Victories over 2280-2300 opposition show that when you achieve positions you like, you convert confidently.
2. Priority areas to work on
-
Time management. Three of your last five losses were on time or in severe time trouble. Try a quick self-check each move:
“Is my king safe? What is my opponent threatening? What is the simplest good move?”
This prevents five-move calculation spirals that burn precious seconds. - Over-ambitious pawn pushes with Black. In the Caro-Kann loss you combined …g6, …Nh6 and …f5 earlier than necessary. White’s 9.g4/11.h4 plan works because your king’s pawn cover is too airy. Study classical setups with …Bf5/…e6/…Nd7 first, adding …g6 only after castling has stabilised. A compact fix: ‑ notice Black meets flank pawns by holding the centre, not by racing pawns himself.
-
Exchange decisions in simplified positions. Against gm_cr7_07 you took on
c6and exchanged queens, only to discover that Black’s minor-piece activity outweighed your structural edge. Before every capture ask “What will my worst piece be afterwards?” If the answer is “my whole army”, reconsider. -
Handling IQP & hanging-pawn structures. The Bird’s Opening game drifted from an equal middlegame to a lost rook ending because the
c4-d4pawns became static targets. Review model games where dynamic piece activity compensates the pawn weakness (e.g. Karpov – Uhlmann, Moscow 1973). Search for the concept Hanging_Pawns in your database.
3. Opening tune-ups
| Colour | Quick tip | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| White (Reti/Catalan mix) | Avoid locking the position with c5 too early unless you win space and can swing a knight to e5. |
Browse five games of Vladimir Kramnik’s 1.Nf3 repertoire focusing on when he chooses c4 vs d4. |
| Black – Caro-Kann | Stay classical: …e6 and …Nf6 before any …g6. | Memorise one solid line vs Exchange (…Bf5, …e6, …Bd6) and play 20 blitz games starting from move 5. |
| Black – Slav/Queen’s Gambit | After 6.d4 Bg4 7.Qb3 b6 you spent two tempi on …b6 & …c6-cxd5. Consider the more direct 7…Qb6! forcing queen trade. | Annotate ten master games with the move order you prefer. |
4. Endgame habits
- Play out won positions against an engine set to 2000 strength and stop the clock when you drop below 15 seconds, then replay to find a quicker path.
- Daily puzzle: one rook ending, one minor-piece ending. Consistency beats binge-study.
5. Tracking your progress
Peak Blitz rating: 2329 (2025-06-21) | Peak Rapid rating: 2444 (2025-05-01)
Visualise improvement with these dashboards:
6. 30-second check-list before each game
- Which pawn breaks will I aim for?
- What is my opponent’s main plan if he knows theory?
- Which piece do I want to improve first?
Answer those, keep your clock above 25-30 seconds, and your attacking instincts will do the rest. Good luck on the road to 2300+!