Coach Chesswick
Constructive Feedback for Igor Bitensky
Quick Snapshot
- Current peak ratings: Rapid 2441 (2019-07-07), Blitz 2452 (2020-04-15).
- Usual activity patterns: .
- Frequent sparring partner: Tompalov.
What You Are Already Doing Well
- Initiative-seeking play. Your recent win in the Closed Sicilian shows an instinct to seize space and create threats early.
- Tactical alertness. Combinations like 21.Rxf8! in the same game demonstrate sharp calculation skills.
- Piece activity over material. You regularly return material (e.g., 20.Ng4! in the win above) to keep the opponent’s king under pressure.
Key Areas to Improve
- Time management. Four of your last five losses ended on time. Aim to keep at least 25–30 % of your clock entering complex middlegames. Drills with a visible countdown (e.g., 1-minute per five moves) can build this habit.
- Pawn-storm risk assessment. In several Modern Defense games as Black you advanced …h6/…g5 early, weakening dark squares and falling to ideas like Qg5+ and h6 (see loss on 2021-04-10). Re-watch model games by solid Modern specialists and note how they delay …g5 until the centre is closed.
- Handling opposite-side castling. When kings are on the same wing you still launch pawn storms, sometimes forgetting prophylaxis. Balance attack with king safety—often one quiet move (…Kh8, …Rf7) prevents tactical shots.
- Conversion technique. Winning positions occasionally drift (e.g., 2021-07-17 where …Qa6?? lost the remaining seconds). Practice converting extra exchange/ pawn vs. bots set to “defend stubbornly”.
Opening Corner
With White: Your English/Closed Sicilian set-ups score well. Keep the same structure but prepare replies to …d5 breaks (…e5–d5 or …f5–d5) so you are not surprised.
With Black: In the Modern Defense, study the line 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.h4 (the “150 Attack”). Recommended plan: 4…Nf6 5.h5 Nxh5 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Nf3 c6 8.a4 etc. This avoids the early …h6 …g5 hook that has troubled you.
Action Plan for the Next Two Weeks
- Play five 15|10 games focused solely on clock discipline; annotate how you spent time each move.
- Solve 30 intermediate tactics per day; filter for defensive themes like interposition and perpetual checks.
- Review two grandmaster games where Black employs the Modern without …g5; summarise typical plans in a notebook.
- End every session with a 10-move self-quiz: “What are my opponent’s threats?” (cultivates prophylactic thinking).
Motivational Note
Your aggressive style is a real asset—refine the supporting skills above and you will convert more of those promising positions into points. Keep the energy, add a dash of restraint, and expect steady rating climbs. Good luck, Igor!