Coach Chesswick
Hi Hana! 👋
Below is a tailored progress report based on your last 25 games (3 | 2 “Live Chess”). Keep the attacking flair, but let’s sand down a few rough edges.
✅ Your current strengths
- Dynamic pawn play. In your most-recent win you launched h3-g4-g5-g6 in a French Exchange (see capsule below) and ripped open Black’s king. Good sense for when to push pawns to gain space and initiative.
- Pressure against the f-file. Kings-Indian setups as Black (e.g. vs ricaslet) show you understand …f5 / …Qf6 / …Ng4 ideas, creating mate threats and forcing errors.
- Non-routine piece manoeuvres. Ideas like …Qa5-b6-b5-b4 (KID) or Nb5-c7-d5 (Italian) indicate you search for multi-move plans rather than one-move tricks.
🚧 Main improvement areas
- Clock management (highest priority). Three of your last five losses were on time with playable positions. • Aim to reach move 20 with ≥ 40 s. • Practise “ABCDE” thinking: Attack, Board safety, Checks, Defence, End clock.
- Over-extension in Sicilians. Several losses (vs TAUbr16, cezaryfilozof) came after early a4-a5 or g4 without pieces behind. Spend two sessions analysing Scheveningen and Hyper-Accelerated Dragon model games; note when a4/a5 is strategic vs. premature.
- Converting extra material. You sometimes push all pawns forward while already a piece up, letting counter-play sneak in. Insert a “safety scan” each move: “If I trade queens here, is the endgame trivially won?” prophylaxis.
- Endgame fundamentals. In the Hungarian Defence win you allowed counter-play with 46…h1=Q+. Revisit king-and-pawn vs. rook-pawn endings; keep your king in front of passed pawns.
📊 Your playing rhythm
Use the charts below to spot when you’re sharpest. Schedule training during high-win-rate windows.
🕒 Seven-day training micro-plan
| Day | 15 min | 15 min | 20 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tactics rush (Puzzle-Rush) | Clock-blast: 3 × 1|1 games | Annotate loss vs TAUbr16 |
| 2 | Model KID game (Kramnik) | Drill: convert R+4 p vs R+ | Play 2 rated 5|2 games |
| 3 | Calculate 5 hard puzzles | Endgame Study | Review Sicilian Scheveningen video |
| 4 | Bullet-free day: 15|10 game | Self-analysis with comments | Coach feedback or engine check |
| 5 | Opening flashcards (Sicilian) | 1 hour off-board, no clock | Play 3 | 2 rated session |
| 6 | Blitz tournament | Pick one loss & annotate | Physical break (walk/stretch) |
| 7 | Mock exam: 25 tactics | Endgame drill: Lucena & Philidor | Goal review & next-week plan |
🧐 Key moment to remember
Your French win pivoted on 27.g6! — a textbook clearance sacrifice.
Store this as a mental pattern: open lines → bring pieces → break through.
🔍 Opening focus for June
- As White: Polish your Anti-Scheveningen: study 9.0-0–9.f4 plans and typical piece sacrifices on e6/f5.
- As Black: Keep the King’s Indian but add a solid backup (e.g. Slav) for opponents who avoid main lines.
🎯 Goal tracker
Current blitz peak: 2030 (2020-04-26). Set a realistic target: +50 elo by 30 July.
Motivation corner
“Attackers may sometimes lose games, but they will never lose their fighting spirit.” – Mikhail Tal
Keep the fire burning, Hana. Message me after you complete the seven-day plan so we can review the next steps!