Coach Chesswick
Quick summary
Nice progress, Jeremy. Your recent form is trending up: a +27 rating change in the last month and strong gains over 3 and 6 months. You are finding practical wins with dynamic play, especially in Alekhine-style positions. Keep building on that momentum.
What you are doing well
- Strong recent improvement. Your rating slope and steady month-to-month gains show you are learning from games and converting that into results.
- Good results with the Alekhine-style setups. You win when you accept unbalanced pawn structures and play actively rather than passively. See your recent win here: Review the win.
- Practical simplification. When you gain material or a clear initiative you exchange down to a winning endgame instead of chasing complications.
- Opening variety. You are getting good results in several different openings which means you are versatile and not overly dependent on one line.
Main areas to improve
- Conversion technique in complex endgames. In some games you reach promising positions but later the advantage is not converted as smoothly as it could be. Work on basic king and pawn and minor-piece endgames.
- Tactical alertness in messy queen and rook endings. The drawn game against PawnConfusion showed a lot of tactical twists around the kingside and checks. Reviewing those moments will help you avoid giving up the initiative or missing a forcing sequence. Review it here: Review the drawn game.
- Consistent plan building in the middlegame. You often reach active positions quickly but could be clearer about long term targets and pawn breaks. A short plan (target, piece to improve, break) will prevent aimless moves.
- Time management in daily play. You have very long thinking sessions in some positions and very short in others. Aim for steady review instead of huge bursts so you spot tactics and plans more reliably.
Concrete next steps (weekly plan)
- Tactics: 10-15 puzzles per day focused on forks, pins, and discovered attacks. Emphasize pattern recognition more than speed.
- Endgames: 2 focused endgame drills per week. Start with basic king and pawn, then minor-piece vs minor-piece endings. Practice converting a one pawn advantage and winning with a rook and king vs king and pawn technique.
- Opening review: pick the main Alekhine lines you play and review 3 typical plans and one common trap for both sides. Use Alekhine's Defense material and replay your win to see the ideas that worked: Open this win.
- Annotate one long game per week. Write 5 notes on each critical position: what you thought, what you missed, and the simpler plan you could have used.
- Play one slow long game (daily or correspondence) and force yourself to spend at least some time on a plan every time you move. That will stabilize time usage and thinking.
Specific moments to review in your recent win
- Where you allowed the opponent to push pawns on the flank before you simplified. Look at the moment where you traded into a reduced-material position and ask if a quicker simplification or a different exchange would have increased the margin.
- The knight jump that grabbed material and forced exchanges. Replay that sequence and ask: what tactical features made that jump possible? Could the opponent have defended differently? Use the game link to replay the whole line: Replay the win.
Practical checklist for your next 10 games
- Before you move, ask: Is any of my pieces hanging or can I win material this move?
- Identify one clear target each position (king, weak pawn, weak square) and try to improve a piece towards it every 2 moves.
- If you have a material edge, simplify actively and avoid unnecessary tactical risks.
- After each game, mark one turning point and write a 1-sentence lesson to keep reinforcing learning.
Keep it motivating
Your win/loss record and opening win rates show you are building reliable strengths. Keep focusing on small weekly habits: tactics, one annotated game, and two endgame exercises. If you want, send one annotated game and I will give targeted feedback on the exact turning points.