Grace Kigeni WFM

Hi Grace!

Well done on the steady progress you are making. Your recent games show a healthy mix of creativity and fighting spirit. Below is some personalised feedback aimed at turning a few of those “almost-wins” into clean victories.

What’s already working

• Tactical alertness. In your win against mego728 you spotted the double-rook sacrifice idea with 21.Rxc7+!! followed by 25.Nc6+. Your pieces spring to life when complications appear, and you often find the first critical tactic in the position.
• Piece activity from the opening. Whether you start with 1.d4, the Réti set-up or an Alapin Sicilian, you usually develop quickly and castle early, giving yourself playable middlegames.
• Fighting till the end. The rook-and-pawn conversion versus mymightypawns (…Rxb1, …Rd1+) shows good end-game confidence once time is not a factor.

Key areas to focus on next

1. Time management
   Four of your last six losses were on time. Aim to keep at least 30–40 % of your clock for move 30. Two practical tips:
   • Use the “touch-move” principle in your head: decide before you touch the piece.
   • In quiet positions, make simple improving moves quickly (e.g. re-aligning a rook); save tank-time for sharp positions.
2. Simplify vs. attack: choose consciously
   In the loss to reudduvez you grabbed a pawn with 7.Bxb5 but drifted into a worse position after …Bb4-b7-a8. Ask yourself “Is this capture worth letting the opponent activate their pieces?”. When ahead in development, keep the tension; when lagging, consider exchanging to defuse the initiative.
3. End-game conversions under pressure
   You reached winning end-games against yadollahradmanesh and blunderknight11 but allowed counterplay or flagged. A short daily dose of basic rook-and-pawn drills will raise your conversion rate and, importantly, your confidence when liquidating.
4. Anchoring an opening repertoire
   Your moves 1–10 vary widely. Pick one main line each with White and Black and learn the typical pawn breaks and strategic plans. This compresses calculation time later because you will recognise patterns faster.
   Suggested starting blocks:
   • White: Réti/English with c4 & g3 (many of your wins already arise from these structures).
   • Black vs 1.e4: Continue with the Sicilian Alapin set-up, but memorise one solid reply to 3.c3 & 4.d4 lines.
   • Black vs 1.d4: The Queen’s Gambit Declined ideas you play (…d5 …e6 …Nf6) fit your style; study typical minority-attack and Carlsbad plans.

Micro-targets for the next 20 games

• Finish each game with at least 20 seconds on the clock.
• Score 80 % in positions up a pawn with a pair of rooks on the board (track this manually or with notes).
• Log one new opening line studied per week and play it at least twice.

Quick reference

Spot-the-pattern exercise

Replay the critical moment that turned your last win:

Ask yourself why 19…a5 was a mistake and how you exploited pin-and-skewer themes. Then look for a similar motif in one of your lost games and note how you could have used it.

Closing thoughts

Your tactical eye is your super-power; combine it with quicker practical decisions and a stable opening menu and you will push past your current plateau quickly. Keep enjoying the game, and good luck in your next session!