Ioana Gelip WFM

Hi Ioana!

You have an energetic, enterprising style that produces a lot of decisive games. Below is a quick review of recent trends, followed by focused suggestions for the next training block.

What’s already working well

• Initiative-first mindset. In several Najdorf / Scheveningen positions you willingly sacrifice pawns (e.g., 21.Nxf7⁺ and 27.Nxf7⁺) to keep Black’s king in the centre. Your conversion rate in these sharp lines is excellent.
• Piece activity in dynamic middlegames. The win vs junipro shows how quickly you mobilise rooks to open files once the opponent’s king becomes loose.
• Calculation skills under pressure. Even in blitz you spotted tactical resources such as 29.Qg6⁺ and 30.Nf7# with less than 20 s on the clock—evidence that your short-range tactics are reliable.

Recurring problems

• Time-management losses. Two of your last five defeats came on the clock while you were objectively fine (see games vs johnsaki and tchav). Good moves that never get played score 0 %. The goal in rapid is to reach move 20 with at least 40 % of the initial time.
• Handling early sidelines against 1.d4. In the loss to Axeldarkness, the …Bb4 Indian setup left you with an awkward Na4/…Na4-c5 plan and weak dark squares. You often reach middlegames where your c- and e- pawns are targets and the bishop pair is undeveloped.
• Endgame conversion accuracy. When you do not deliver a direct mating attack, technique can falter. In the long win vs Claratex the position after 30…Rc3 still had practical chances for White. Simplifying sooner (e.g., 28…e3! 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.Qxe3 Qd5) would have locked up the full point earlier.

Action plan for the next 4 weeks

1. Clock discipline drill. Play three rapid (10 + 5) games per session with a hard rule: by move 15 you must have ≥ 6 minutes. If you drop below, force yourself to make the next two moves instantly. This builds an internal “pace alarm.”
2. Plug the 1.d4 gap.
   • Pick one solid system—e.g., the QGD Tarrasch or the Nimzo-Indian—and study five model games.
   • Create a 20-position flashcard set covering typical pawn breaks …c5 and …e5 so you recognise them on autopilot.
3. Endgame micro-work. For every session, solve two rook-and-pawn studies (<5 minutes each). Focus on outside passed pawn and Lucena position themes—these appear frequently in your Sicilians.
4. Review checklist. After each game, answer three questions:
   1. Did I spend more than 90 seconds on one move before move 10? Why?
   2. Was there a moment when improving my worst-placed piece was better than calculating a forcing line?
   3. Which pawn became a long-term weakness (backward, isolated, doubled) and could I have prevented it?

Quick stats

Peak rapid rating: 2286 (2020-08-09)
Most active hours chart:

Motivational nugget

The gap between 2000 and 2100 is rarely about learning more opening theory—it’s about better decisions faster. Tighten the clock discipline and solidify your 1.d4 repertoire, and the next rating jump will follow naturally.

Good luck, and keep enjoying the journey!
—Your Chess Coach 🤖