Coach Chesswick
Hi Harsha!
Congratulations on maintaining an elite blitz rating (3009 (2025-06-24)) and an excellent overall win-rate (
). Below is some targeted feedback drawn from your most recent games.What you’re doing well
- Consistent central control – In your Exchange QGD wins (e.g. vs Mighty_Gladius16) you smoothly converted small structural edges into tangible play on the e– and d– files.
- Piece activity in technical endgames – The rook-and-pawn ending you converted on May 22 highlighted crisp use of active rooks and outside passers.
- Opening variety – You are comfortable with Queen’s Gambit structures, French-Exchange setups and the Sicilian as Black, making you hard to prepare for.
Opportunities for improvement
-
Sicilian Taimanov – move-order finesse
The loss to KRAT0S_GOW (B46) showed the critical line
14.Rfa1 … Nd7 15.R4a2 … Bc8. After …d5 you landed in a passive rook ending.
• Consider the modern move 14…Qc8! aiming for …Nb4, keeping pieces coordinated.
• Revisit the Sidelines 10…d5 and 12…Re8 to avoid early queenside weakness. -
Handling the King’s Indian Defence as White
Versus Hikaru Nakamura you chose the Classical system but hesitated after 12…g5. Two practical suggestions:
• Against …g5-g4, the prophylactic 13.h3 followed by 14.f3 keeps the centre intact.
• Alternatively switch to the safer 9.dxe5 lines, limiting Black’s kingside pawn storms. -
Time management in critical endings
Four recent losses (e.g. vs Suyog Wagh) came with <5 seconds on your clock. Your technique is sound when you have >15 seconds. Try:
• Setting a soft “30-second rule” – if below 30s, simplify or force a perpetual.
• Using premoves only in forced capture sequences; otherwise keep 0.3-0.4s buffer. -
Translating pressure into concrete threats
In the Magnus game you achieved a pleasant Catalan-type position but missed 23…Bf6!? / …e5 ideas. A helpful exercise is to pause when you first sense “I’m slightly better” and search for forcing sequences rather than further improving moves.
Opening snapshot
[[Pgn| 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Be2 Nc6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.Be3 a6 9.f4 O-O |fen|rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/1p1ppn2/8/3NP1P1/2N1B3/PP2B1KP/R2Q1R2 w - - 0 10]]This is the precise moment (10.Kh1 in the game) where switching to the h3–g4 plan or the sharper f5 pawn-break matters. Add it to your Repertoire Drill list.
Suggested study plan (next two weeks)
- Day 1-3 – Review the latest Taimanov games by Firouzja & Giri; update your move orders.
- Day 4-6 – Tactics: 30 minutes/day on puzzles with two or more quiet moves before the final shot to improve calculation depth.
- Day 7-10 – Endgame flashcards: Philidor & Vancura rook positions under 15 seconds.
- Day 11-14 – Play 20 unrated 1|0 games focusing only on clock handling; ignore result.
Key take-aways
- Sharpen the Taimanov; avoid passive queen retreats.
- Adopt a clear anti-…g5 plan vs the King’s Indian.
- Practice fast-play “safe moves” to protect your clock in winning endings.
Keep up the great work, and feel free to share your next set of games for more in-depth analysis!
— Your Chess Coach