Coach Chesswick
Eric, here is some focused, constructive feedback based on your latest Blitz session ( 2901 (2025-02-20) ≈ 2800):
What is working well
- Opening initiative as White. Your London-with-early Bf4 consistently netted pleasant middlegames. The game vs. kasimovr21 (1-0) shows textbook central expansion with 18.d4 and 23.e5, seizing the dark squares.
- Tactical alertness in time pressure. In the same win you found 32.Ng1! and 33.Nxc5+, converting a messy position with seconds on the clock.
- Endgame creativity. Against GryffindorGambit you converted R+N vs. R with clever king walks while milking the clock.
Recurring pain points
- Time-pressure self-inflicted. Six of the seven recent losses were decided by flag or last-second blunders. Even in winning positions (e.g. vs. kasimovr21 as Black) you reached move 60 with <5 seconds.
• Practical fix: make a “10-second rule” — if you dip under 10 seconds before move 25, force a trade or simplify.
• Training: play 1-0 bullet with increment disabled to rehearse insta-move technique. - Conversion vs. stubborn defence. Games against Andrey Drygalov and Xtrmntr78 swung from +4 to lost. In both you allowed perpetual counterplay on the open files.
• Checklist before advancing pawns: “Are all my back-rank squares protected?” Simple prophylaxis such as h2-h3 or a2-a4 would have prevented cheap mates. - Queen’s-pawn sidelines as Black. Naroditsky’s 4.a3 line (loss) and several London System games show you drifting into passive structures (…Ba7,…Bb8).
• Recommendation: add one forcing reply you trust after 4.a3 — either 4…a5 (holding the pawn) or 4…e6 5.dxc5 Bxc5 aiming for quick …d5 breaks.
Micro-themes to polish
| Theme | Game snippet | Action item |
|---|---|---|
| Loose back rank | Adopt “lift by move 20” rule: play h6/h3 or g6/g3 earlier. | |
| Unnecessary pawn pushes | 29…f5 vs. Arnar Erwin Gunnarsson opened dark-square holes → Nb6-d5 fork. | In equal positions, ask “Who benefits if the center opens?” before pushing f- or c-pawns. |
| Piece rerouting in cramped setups | Loss vs. Daniel Naroditsky where …Bb8-e7-d6 wasted tempi. | Study “Hedgehog” plans: when c-pawns are fixed, knights, not bishops, should maneuver first. |
Targeted drills for the coming week
- 40-move no-increment drill. Set a 2-minute timer and play engine defence from +6 positions; goal = convert with >30 seconds left.
- Queen & rook vs. minor pieces endgames. Several games ended with mis-co-ordinated heavy pieces. Use Lichess table-base trainer for KR vs. KRP endings.
- Opening sprint. For each side of the London/Pirc, prepare one memorised 12-move branch you can blitz out, banking time for later.
Progress tracker
Keep an eye on momentum rather than single ratings swings:
Final encouragement
Your creativity and sense of humour are still your super-powers. Shore up the technical gaps above, and the flags/blunders will dry up. Looking forward to the next Opposite-colored Bishop Madness on stream!