Hi Hugo!
Great to see your recent games – they’re packed with energy and fearless attacking ideas. Below is a structured review to help you push beyond your current 2803 (2022-07-19) and convert more of your advantages into points.
1. Opening trends
- Black: You rely heavily on the Modern Defense (…g6, …Bg7) versus both 1.e4 and 1.d4. Your piece play is sound, but predictable. Top opponents prep well; consider adding a surprise weapon (e.g. the Pirc with …Nf6 or the flexible 1…d6/…e5 move-order) so they can’t steer you into their favourite set-ups.
- White: Early h-pawns (h4, h5) and fianchetto schemes score nicely, yet you sometimes over-extend (see loss vs. kleinebeer98). A timely development move (Nc3, Nf3, or short castle) before the pawn storm will keep your king safer.
2. Middlegame conversion
Your tactical eye is excellent – the mating attack against Feel_Special was textbook. One recurring issue is finishing the job after winning material:
- Up material but down on time – you flagged twice in won positions. Solution: simplify earlier (trade queens when +3) and use pre-moves for obvious recaptures.
- Over-pressing equal positions – against rasmussvane you forced …f5 and weakened your king. When the position is objectively equal, switch to “contain & wait” rather than “create imbalance at any cost.”
3. Endgame technique
In two losses you entered endgames with ≈ equal pawns but passive pieces. A quick rule:
“If you can’t attack, improve king activity.”
Walking the king to the centre on moves 25-30 would have saved both games.
4. Clock management
Time trouble is the single biggest rating limiter right now.
- Adopt a mandatory “30-second reserve” – never drop below it except in forced tactical sequences.
- Use the opening phase to build time; you know these lines well, so move instantly up to move 8 unless your opponent deviates sharply.
5. Concrete micro-goals for the next 30 days
| Goal | How to train | Success metric |
|---|---|---|
| Add a second defence vs. 1.e4 | Play 20 blitz games with the Caro-Kann or French; review with engine | Score ≥55% and feel comfortable |
| Endgame conversion | 10 daily studies on rook-and-pawn endings (Lichess studies / books) | OTB blitz endgame save-rate rises by 20% |
| Time management | Blitz streak with the rule “move within 5 seconds unless position is tactical” | Average remaining time on move 20 ≥25 sec |
6. Quick inspiration corner
Replay the brilliant finish you produced here – it’s model attacking play:
7. Stats & routine trackers
Keep an eye on your performance swings with these dashboards:
8. Final thought
Your dynamic style already defeats titled players regularly. Blend in a little pragmatism (king safety, simpler conversions, stricter clock control) and that next rating jump will follow quickly.
Good luck in your upcoming events, and feel free to share new games any time for another review!