Illingworth's chess story began in earnest around 2012 when they burst onto the online scene with a bullet rating of 2000. A quick glance at their swift ascent clearly shows an unrelenting drive to improve: by 2020, their bullet rating soared to an extraordinary 3064. During this period, they racked up tens of thousands of wins, demonstrating a near-unstoppable force in blitz-speed combat. Their formidable skill set isn’t restricted to bullet alone; they have proven equally adept in blitz and rapid formats, amassing consistently high ratings there as well.
Known for a dynamic style and a wide opening repertoire that spans everything from the Sicilian to the Caro-Kann, Illingworth seems to thrive under the pressure of quick time controls. They exhibit an impressive Endgame Frequency—an indication that they are unafraid to carry a fight all the way to the final moves—and keep their Early Resignation Rate low, reflecting a signature resilience on the board. Their knack for staging comebacks is well documented, and their high win rate after losing material underscores a deep tactical and psychological tenacity. Illingworth’s track record stands as proof that uncompromising offense, coupled with relentless determination, can lead to a meteoric rise in the fast-paced world of online chess.
Coach Chesswick
Hi Max!
Below is some targeted feedback based on your most-recent rapid (60|0) sessions, together with a few concrete training tasks. Everything is geared toward squeezing a few more points out of positions you are already playing better than the opposition.
What is working
Dynamic openings. You switch comfortably between King’s Indian / Modern set-ups against 1.d4 and main-line Sicilians versus 1.e4, keeping the initiative from the very start.
Calculation & tactical alertness. A good example is the …Ng4–Rxe3!! shot that ripped open lx_5265’s position:
Practical pressure. Side-pawn advances (…h5/…a5) often force opponents to burn time and make concessions.
Patterns to improve
Clock management. Two of the last five losses came on time with objectively defensible positions. Your mean time left at move 30 is under 10 s (see ).
Over-extension of kingside pawns. In the B33 defeat vs Aurelfletch6 the early …h5 + …f5 left dark-square holes you could never plug.
End-game conversion. The long squeeze that slipped away against Aurelfletch6 ended in stalemate tricks and finally mate; a clean technique would have wrapped things up 20 moves earlier.
Two-week action plan
“30-second rule.” The first time your clock reaches 30 s, give yourself an audible cue and enter “increment mode”: move inside five seconds until you are back over 40 s. Track progress with .
Safe endings drill. Re-play winning endings against an engine restricted to depth 12 and practise converting them twice in a row. Start from the position below, a pawn up but still technical:
Sicilian homework. Replace 10…Bb8?! with the more active 10…Qc6 or 10…Be7 lines; build a one-page repertoire sheet.
Weekly self-quiz. Pick three critical moments, write down full variations for 10 minutes, then check with an engine. No partial credit—either the main line holds or it doesn’t!
Quick reference table
Theme
Cue
Reminder
Najdorf vs tired days
Feeling low-energy
Choose Classical …e6 d6 scheme instead
Controlling d5 (Sicilian)
♞c6 traded?
Place a rook/queen behind the d-pawn before launching …f5
Time split goal
Opening
<15 s, keep 45 s in bank by move 20
Closing thought
Your tactical eye and opening depth already match GM level; tightening the practical screws—clock use and clean conversions—should push you beyond your current 2877 (2020-10-10). Keep the energy and creativity, add a 10-second safety net, and watch the rating climb.
Good luck and send the next batch of games whenever you’re ready!
