Hi GM Finegold, here’s some feedback on your recent rapid games:
Recent Performance Overview:
You have a solid overall win rate given the strength of your opposition, with a strength-adjusted win rate around 33%. Your rating has improved significantly (+155) over the past month and three months, and +160 in six months, reflecting strong consistent progress.
Opening and Middle Game Play:
You frequently employ the Queen’s Gambit Declined and Closed Sicilian, which are strong, classical choices. Your handling of the Queens Gambit Declined transition to middlegame showed good understanding, especially around move 11 in your recent game against IMRosen. Look to continue focusing on timely piece deployment and maintaining tension without conceding weaknesses early.
One suggestion is to watch for early queen excursions that may expose your position to attacks, as seen in a few games where the queen captured pawns early but became vulnerable later. Maintaining coordinated piece activity over material grabs could minimize risks.
Endgame Technique:
Your endgame play in games such as vs 1stStryke is very strong, especially in converting material advantage into a checkmate efficiently. Keep sharpening your calculation in pawn endgames and rook endgames where subtle tempo moves and zugzwang often decide outcomes.
Areas for Improvement:
- Time management: In the losses from earlier years, time pressure was a factor. Continue to practice maintaining a steady pace, particularly in complex positions to avoid rushed decisions.
- Handling pressure in tactical sequences: Some losses involved complications where defensive accuracy was key. Drill tactical motifs regularly to support confident calculation under pressure.
- Positional decision-making: Reinforce strategic understanding in less tactical but complex positions to avoid minor misjudgments that let opponents seize the initiative.
Overall Trend:
Your rating trend over 3 and 6 months is strongly positive (+155 and +47.9 slopes respectively), though the shorter term slope shows slight fluctuation (-9.3 last month), which is natural when adapting to new ideas or opponents. Keep reviewing your games and learning from each phase, and your rating should continue to reflect your rising strength.
Lastly, always remember that your intuitive feel is a huge asset. Balancing it with objective evaluation and concrete calculation can help maximize your performance in rapid games.
Keep up the great work and happy training!
Links for reference:
- Recent Win vs IMRosen
- Loss analysis vs Dr-Dim