Philemon Thomas NM

Blitz Review — Quick assessment

Here are practical ideas to tighten your blitz game. The goal is to convert more early activity into steady, tangible gains in the fast time controls.

What you’re doing well in blitz

• You stay active and willing to enter dynamic positions, which can create practical chances even when the position is unclear.
• You defend stubbornly in sharp moments and keep fighting until the clock forces a decision from your opponent.
• You have a willingness to maintain balance in the middlegame and look for practical plans rather than rushing to simplifications that leave you with passive positions.

Key areas to improve

• Time management: in tight time scenarios you sometimes rush, which increases the risk of missing forcing moves or mis-evaluating critical trades. Develop a simple, repeatable routine for the last few minutes, like verifying safety first, then evaluating one or two concrete candidate plans.
• Calculation discipline: when you spot a tactical idea, quickly verify it with a concise calculation instead of chasing multiple lines. In blitz, a 2-3 move check often suffices to avoid blunders.
• Endgame technique: aim to simplify only when it clearly benefits you or when you have concrete winning chances. Practice common rook endgames and king activity patterns to convert advantages more reliably.
• Opening strategy: stick to a compact, well-understood repertoire with clear plans after the opening phase. Avoid overly long theoretical lines in blitz unless you’re confident in the resulting middlegame plan.

Practical drills you can use

• Daily tactic practice: 15–20 minutes of puzzles at a pace that trains fast pattern recognition, without engine assistance.
• Endgame focus: study simple rook endgames and king-pawn endings to improve technique in late phases of blitz games.
• Opening rehearsal: drill your main lines for two favored openings, focusing on the typical middlegame plans and transition to them.
• Post-game review habit: after each blitz session, write 2–3 brief notes about what you learned and what you will adjust next time.

Two-week plan

Week 1: lock in a compact, reliable opening repertoire and a consistent early-game plan. Week 2: add targeted endgame practice and routine timed puzzles. End each session with a quick recap of the main error you fixed and the improvement you aim for next time.