Coach Chesswick
Hi John Doe, here’s an evidence-based review of your recent games
1. What you’re already doing well
- Fighting spirit in sharp positions. In your win versus assembly8080 (Pirc/Modern), you grabbed the b-pawn with
16.Qxb8+and never looked back, finishing with accurate piece coordination. - Good feel for kingside pawn storms. Games such as your check-mate against vishwsarthi show you’re comfortable pushing
...h5–h4orf-pawnsto open lines toward the enemy king. - Ability to exploit time pressure. A noticeable number of wins come when the position is still messy but you’re ahead on the clock. This is a legitimate skill in blitz.
2. Key areas to improve
-
Opening discipline & piece safety.
• Most of your quick losses start with unconventional moves like1.a3or1...a6 2...g6. • In the loss to timanton,5.Qf3 6.e5 7.Qxa8cost a rook on move 7.
Goal: Play openings that develop pieces toward the centre and castle early. Memorise the first 8-10 moves of one solid line with each colour. -
Central control.
In the setback versus basem_hanafy you allowed…d4on move 7, ceding the centre and giving Black an outpost one3later. Exercise: After every opponent pawn push in the centre ask yourself “Can I strike back with a pawn or piece?”. -
Tactical blunders under 90 seconds.
Many decisive mistakes (e.g.24.Qe2?? Nxe2+) happened once your clock dipped below 1:30. Drill: 5-minute Puzzle Rush sessions focusing on “hanging piece” motifs will sharpen your radar.
3. Action plan for the next 4 weeks
| Week | Main focus | Suggested resources |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Build an e4 » Italian repertoire as White | Watch a 15-minute intro video, then play 10 rapid games using it |
| 2 | Adopt …e5 vs 1.e4 and the Queen’s Gambit Declined vs 1.d4 | Review 5 master games per line with comments |
| 3 | Tactics & calculation | 30 puzzles/day; force yourself to calculate three full moves before looking at answers |
| 4 | Endgame fundamentals | Study king-and-pawn vs king, basic rook endgames & the concept of opposition opposition |
4. Illustrative PGN (study opportunity)
Revisit this fragment from your most recent loss; try beating Stockfish from the White side after 22…Bd5:
5. Tracking your progress
Keep an eye on your trend lines – a flat graph for one week signals it’s time to tweak training:
Current peak ratings: •6. Quick checklist before every move
- Are any of my pieces hanging?
- What is my opponent’s last threat?
- Can I improve the activity of my worst piece?
- Does the move help me control the centre or attack the king?
Applying this list — even for half a second — will cut your blunder rate dramatically.
7. Final encouragement
You’re already demonstrating creativity and resilience. Marry that with sound opening structure and sharper tactics, and 1400+ will come quickly. Enjoy the journey, and feel free to ping me with any questions about specific lines or positions!