Ethan's Happenings

Feedback for “EthansHappenings”

Snapshot

• Current momentum: strong attacking play (7 wins in the last 12 games) but streaky results when the attack stalls.
• Favourite structures: Pirc / Philidor setups as Black (…d6, …c6, …g5) and the 1.Nc3/Veresov–Jobava ideas as White.
• Peak so far: – you are on the right path to break the next milestone.
• When you play (local time): see
  – notice the dip in late-night sessions.

What’s working well

1. Tactical alertness
   The combination 22…Nf3+ 25…Rg2! in your win against nameallreadytaken is a textbook example of piling up on a pinned piece.
   
2. Dynamic pawn play
   Early g- and h-pawn storms often give you the initiative (e.g. the Modern Defence win vs puaf79).
3. Piece activity
   In most victories your minor pieces reach central or kingside outposts before move 15, suffocating the opponent.

Main growth areas

1. King safety while attacking
   Three of the recent losses (vs thetruecheesemaster, mr-alpha-7, thbarcelos) started with an aggressive pawn push but ended with your own king stuck in the centre or 7th rank checks. Before pushing a flank pawn ask, “Can I castle first?”
2. Conversion technique
   The 97-move loss to thbarcelos shows difficulty turning extra material into a win. Endgames with a single passed pawn or rook vs minor piece are recurring themes to drill.
3. Opening predictability
   Opponents are beginning to prepare for 1.Nc3/Jobava and …d6 setups. Add a second main weapon (e.g. 1.e4 as White, or the French/Scandinavian as Black) to stay flexible.
4. Time management
   You often finish wins with 7-8 minutes left yet blitz out critical positions in losses. Spend at least 30-40 s on non-forced moves; bank the saved time for complex endgames.

Action plan for the next two weeks

• Solve 15–20 mate-in-three puzzles daily to keep tactical edge sharp.
• Play five sparring games starting from the Philidor middlegame after 10…Bxf3 to practise switching from attack to defence when material is level.
• Study two model endgames:
  • Lucena/bridge-building (rook + pawn vs rook)
  • Minor-piece vs pawns blockade scenarios
• Review each loss with an engine for one critical turning point – do not deep dive everywhere, focus on the biggest swing.
• Add one quiet opening line:
  • As White: 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 – keeps kingside safe.
  • As Black: Classical Pirc with …Nf6 …Bg7 …0-0 (skip the early …g5) to compare.

Key concepts to keep in mind

• Prophylaxis – anticipate opponent’s ideas before launching yours.
• transition – recognise when it is time to cash in an attack for a winning endgame.
• critical%20square – central outposts like e5/d6 decide the Pirc structures you like.

Motivation corner

You have shown you can beat opponents rated 1800+ with energetic play. Sharpen the three areas above and the next update will start with “18--”. Keep the passion, balance it with a little more care, and results will follow. Good luck!

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