Franciszek Sernecki FM

What you do well in blitz

You show a strong willingness to enter dynamic middlegames and seek active play. In several games you create pressure on the opponent’s king and use open files effectively, which is a great strength in fast time controls. You also demonstrate good resourcefulness in tense positions, keeping fights going even when material is imbalanced. Your endgame awareness in some wins helps you convert small chances into a victory.

Key patterns from your recent blitz games

• You can convert dynamic chances into material or positional edges when you maintain active pieces and coordinate pieces around the enemy king. This is a major strength to build on in future blitz sessions.
• In several losses, there were moments where you entered sharp, unforced complications or hunted for speculative tactics. When the position is unclear, a safer plan and simpler moves can prevent missed wins for your opponent and save valuable time.
• Time pressure shows up in longer, complex lines. This can lead to small but costly mistakes near the final phase of a game. Practicing faster, more decisive decisions in the early-to-mid game can help you avoid late-time trouble.
• Endgames with heavy piece activity or imbalanced material appear in multiple games. Improving endgame technique, especially rook endgames and pawn endgames, will help you convert more of these positions into wins or draws.

Strategic improvements to try

• Time management: set a simple mental clock rule, such as aiming to have at least 15–20 seconds per move in the last phase and avoiding deep, multi-move calculations when you’re low on time. Practice making safe, solid moves in the first 15–20 moves of a blitz game to reduce time trouble later.
• Opening stability: pick a compact, flexible blitz repertoire (two main lines) and study a few thematic middlegame plans for each. This reduces decision fatigue and helps you reach comfortable middlegame positions more quickly.
• Endgame practice: strengthen rook endings, knight vs bishop endgames, and pawn endgames. Build a short checklist for common endgame motifs so you can convert or hold more reliably under time pressure.
• Prophylaxis and threat spotting: before committing to a plan, scan quickly for your opponent’s immediate threats and potential tactical shots. If you can’t answer those threats confidently in a minute or two, consider simpler, safer moves.
• Pattern recognition: reinforce recurring tactical motifs (back-rank ideas, forks, skewers, and overloading). Regular short tactic sessions (10–15 minutes daily) can improve your instinct for these patterns in blitz.

Practical drills you can start this week

• Daily blitz-style puzzles: 10–15 minutes focusing on tactics common in blitz (forks, pins, skewers, back-rank themes).
• Opening focus: choose two openings you enjoy or that fit your style (for example, a flexible Indian setup and a solid queen’s gambit family line). Practice 15–20 games in each with a simple plan in the middlegame to avoid over-the-top tactical quests.
• Endgame repertoire: practice rook endings with a partner or coach, aiming to convert a rook and pawn endgame from a basic position to a win or draw with a clear technique.
• Game review habit: after each blitz session, write down one or two key turning points per game (both good and bad). Identify what decision made the position favorable or risky and what you would do differently next time.
• Safe-pruning rule: in a position where you’re uncertain, look for at least two safe moves before choosing a line. If none feels clearly good, switch to a safer, simpler plan instead of risking a tactical overreach.

Next steps

If you’d like, I can tailor a concrete 2–3 week plan around your preferred openings and typical blitz time controls. I can also annotate key positions from your recent wins and losses to highlight specific improvements and provide targeted practice tasks.