Tom Borvander

What you’re doing well in blitz

You demonstrate good practical energy by actively seeking play and creating pressure in the middlegame. In several games, you pursued concrete ideas and tactical chances rather than settling for passive lines, which is important in faster time controls.

• You look for dynamic chances and are not afraid to complicate the position when your opponent is tied to their plan.
• You maintain activity with piece play and coordinate your pieces toward attacking or pressuring the opponent’s king.
• You show willingness to simplify when it leads to favorable endings or reduces the opponent’s attacking chances.

Important improvement areas to boost your blitz results

• Endgame technique and conversion: Some losses in long endings came down to handling rook and pawn endings efficiently. Practice rook endings with passed pawns and learn the standard “shoulder” and “rook behind the pawn” concepts so you can convert when ahead or defend when behind.
• Time management and decision density: In several games, there were moments where you spent extra time on non-critical moves. Develop a quick filtering process: identify the top 1–2 candidate moves on the spot, then commit to one and only re-evaluate if a real tactical threat appears.
• Opening consolidation for blitz: A compact, reliable opening repertoire helps reduce early decision time. Pick 2 White setups and 2 Black responses that you’re comfortable with and study them deeply so you can reach your familiar middlegame plans faster.
• Calculation discipline: In some middlegames, long forcing lines were pursued before confirming strategic ideas. Before deep calculations, confirm your overall plan (what you’re aiming to achieve) and only calculate variations that directly support that plan.
• Selective trades and pawn structure awareness: When you’re under time pressure, consider whether a trade improves your pawn structure or king safety. Avoid exchanges that liberate your opponent or create easy counterplay unless they clearly help your plan.

Practical training plan for the next 4 weeks

• Daily tactics bite-size: 15–20 minutes focused on pattern recognition (forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks) to improve speed and accuracy in blitz calculations.
• Endgame sandbox: 2 sessions per week (30–40 minutes each) dedicated to rook endings, pawns vs pawns endings, and basic queen endings. Focus on standard conversion methods rather than trying long, flashy lines.
• Opening tune-up: Choose 2 White setups (for example, Queen’s Gambit/Slav-flavored approach and a solid 1.e4 line) and 2 Black responses (such as Slav and KID). Learn the key plans and typical middlegame ideas for these lines so you reach your preferred middlegame faster.
• Blitz review routine: After each blitz session, review the last 2–3 games. Identify one clear winning idea and one misstep in each game, then record a short plan for future avoidance or repetition.
• Time management drills: Run a short 3+2 or 5+0 blitz session twice a week with strict timing. Use a 2-minute buffer for the last 5 moves and practice making confident, purposeful moves rather than perpetual searching.

Opening repertoire recommendations for faster, cleaner games

Your openings show exposure to a range of systems. Consider narrowing to a focused, practical set so you can reach your preferred positions quickly. A suggested approach is to commit to 2–3 versatile lines for White and 2–3 for Black, each with a simple, clear plan:

• White options: a solid Queen’s Gambit family line (to reach a centralized, controllable middlegame) and a flexible 1.c4/English approach as a secondary path.
• Black options: a dependable Queen’s Gambit Declined/Slav setup and a compact King’s Indian Defense or Gruenfeld to keep dynamic play available.
• Review the openings you’ve used most recently and identify the recurring middlegame ideas you enjoy; document a quick 2–3 move checklist for each to accelerate decision-making in a blitz setting.

If you’d like, I can tailor a concrete 2–3 line opening package for you. tom%20borvander

In-game decision tips you can apply right away

• Before every move, answer a quick checklist: Is my king safe? Is my development complete? Do I have a concrete plan (attack, pressure on a key pawn/diagonal, or simplification)?
• When you face a tactical opportunity, confirm the forcing line in 2–3 moves. If the line is unclear, switch to a safe developing move that keeps your king protected and your pieces active.
• Use short-term plan visuals: aim for a specific target (a weak pawn, an unprotected piece, or a square you want to occupy) and steer your play toward achieving that target within 2–3 moves.
• Guard the time advantage by avoiding over-calculation on non-critical branches; execute your primary plan and only double-check critical tactical threats from your opponent.

Starter drills you can run today

• Two-board drill: Play a quick 5-minute game, then immediately replay the final position and write down the key decision points that led to the result.
• Endgame focus: Practice rook endings against a single rook and pawns with a goal to force a rook trade and then convert a simple pawn ending.
• Two-promo pattern drill: Work on two-to-three common promotion scenarios so you can recognize a passed pawn threat and respond efficiently.
• Opening pattern drills: Memorize 2–3 typical middlegame plans for your chosen White and Black lines, including typical pawn structure shifts and piece-square ideas.

Quick reference notes to print or save

Focus areas for your next blitz session: endgame technique, time management, and a compact opening repertoire. If you want, I can generate a personalized 2-week plan based on your preferred styles and your recent games.