Avatar of Karl Thorsteins

Karl Thorsteins IM

hakki1 Reykjavik Since 2015 (Active) Chess.com ♟♟♟♟♟
52.3%- 36.9%- 10.7%
Blitz 2549
840W 593L 171D
Rapid 1573
4W 3L 2D
Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

Hi Karl, here is your personalised feedback

Your current strengths

  • Dynamic feel for double-fianchetto and Modern structures; you willingly fight for the initiative.
  • Sharp tactical eye – e.g. the resourceful …Qxb3!! in your recent win over masteronfire4.
  • Fast conversions when you seize a lead; most victories finish before move 30.
  • Consistent practice – your activity curve (
    MonTueWedThuFriSatSun100%0%Day of Week
    ) shows healthy volume.

Key areas to improve

  1. Opening hygiene
    • Against 1.e4 you trust the early …Bf5 Caro-Kann Advance, but the 4.h4/4.g4 “Bayonet” lines leave your king exposed. Explore the quieter 4…e6 or 4…h6 branches.
    • Versus 1.d4 your Modern/Pirc setup is fine, yet you sometimes postpone …c5/…e5 too long (loss on 04-May). Aim to challenge the centre by move 8, or add a Nimzo-Indian to diversify.
    • Build a 10-move “menu” for each colour; revisit it quickly before each session.
  2. Pawn-storm discretion
    Premature …g5/…h5/…a5 thrusts (see defeat vs lordpyrrhicvictory) arrive while pieces lag. Before pushing a wing pawn ask:
    Is my king safe? Are all minors developed? Do I control the centre?
  3. Endgame conversion
    Two losses (e.g. vs Spiderman-83) came from drawable rook-and-pawn endings. Spend 15 min/day on basic rook-endgame drills; “100 Endgames You Must Know” covers 90 % of what you need.
  4. Time management
    Even with a 2-second increment you drop below 2 s/move after move 25 (
    012691011121314151617181920212223100%0%Hour of Day
    shows the spikes). Adopt the “make a move only after you rebuild 5 s” rule.
  5. Defensive calculation
    In the 22…Nb3⁺? game you missed White’s exchange sac. Add 5 defensive puzzles to every tactics set and calculate three ply deeper than your own threat.

4-week micro-plan

WeekFocusDaily micro-task
1Clean Caro-Kann linesReview 10 master games & create flashcards
2Modern/Pirc central counterplayEngine-check your losses, update move orders
3Endgame technique10 positions from “100 Endgames…” played vs engine
4Clock discipline & tactics30 timed puzzles (3 min) + five 5|5 games

Your milestones

• Personal best: 2553 (2023-05-29)
• Short-term target: 2550 by July with a +5 % late-game save rate.

Illustrative moment

Freeze the board before revealing the continuation; try to calculate for both sides:



Stay disciplined, keep the king safe, and your attacking flair will shine even brighter. Good luck, Karl!


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