Ursus Van Bemmelen FM

Constructive feedback for Ursus Van Bemmelen

What you are already doing well

• Dynamic opening choices such as the Bird (1 f4) and Modern setups with …g6 lead to rich middlegames that suit your tactical strengths.
• You willingly sacrifice material for activity (e.g., 17…Bxb2 in the loss to alekhine1986)—a hallmark of creative play.
• Conversion skills in rook-and-pawn endings are solid, as seen in your win versus supercar where you nursed an extra passed pawn to victory.
• Your tactical alertness in cramped positions is excellent; you often find intermediate moves such as 22.Qxd5⁺ that immediately simplify into favourable endgames.

Key areas for improvement

1. Time management
   Three of your last five losses were on time despite playable positions.
   • Adopt a checkpoint system: spend ≤ 1 minute reaching move 15, ≤ 2 minutes by move 25, keep ≥ 40 seconds for the last 10 moves.
   • Play “increment drills” (e.g., 3 | 2 games) to automate your late-game technique without heavy clock cost.
2. Handling opposite-wing pawn storms
   In the defeat against caoug you allowed h-pawn advances while yours stalled on the kingside. When pushing flanks, apply the rule of thumb from pawn majority theory: advance only if you can open files or fix targets.
3. Improving end-game precision
   The lost knight ending versus Alekhine1986 reached a drawn table-base position (♞+2 pawns vs ♘+1) but you drifted. Re-study knight vs pawn endpoints—especially the basic drawing zones. Suggested drill set: 10 daily puzzles from the KvP & N endings section of your favourite trainer.
4. Transition plans from middlegame to ending
   In wins you often exchange into better endings; in losses (e.g., 21…R8c7 in the same Alekhine game) you traded the wrong pair of rooks and gave White the open b-file. Habit: before each exchange ask, “Who benefits from the next endgame?” If unclear, keep tension.
5. Central counterplay in Modern/Pirc structures
   Several setbacks began with passive …d6/…e6 shells. Study thematic breaks …e5 and …c5 in the Modern and how GMs like Rapport or Ding handle early space deficits.

Action plan for the next two weeks

Day	Exercise	Goal
Mon / Thu	30-min end-game drills (Knight vs Pawn & Rook endings)	Raise practical drawing skills
Tue / Fri	Review 5 blitz games focusing only on exchange decisions	Sharper transition sense
Sat	Play 10 bullet games with 5-second time odds against you	Clock discipline under pressure
Sun	Annotate one of your own defeats and compare with engine	Self-diagnosis habit

Highlights & study references

• Re-play your clean technical finish versus fbatde:

Notice how 24.d6! fixed a passer and simplified. Try to replicate this clarity in tougher games.
• Compare that with the tense but losing line in the Modern (loss to CAOUG) and note where the pawn breaks differed.

Progress tracking

Current personal bests: 2288 (2022-04-10) / 2265 (2020-04-19) Keep an eye on your performance graphs:

and to spot patterns (e.g., lower win-rate after midnight sessions).

Encouragement

You already play at an FM level—tightening clock usage and refining a few endings could easily net 30-40 Elo. Stay curious, keep that fighting spirit, and remember: the best game you’ll ever play is the one you fully analyse afterwards.