Coach Chesswick
Hi Sam, here’s some targeted feedback based on your recent games and long-term trends
1. What you’re already doing well
- Tactical alertness. Your latest win against Beletko (B08 Pirc) showed clean calculation during the 22 .Nd5! sequence, converting material with almost no counter-play.
- Pressure with the initiative. In several Alapin Sicilians you repeatedly forced …g6/…f6 concessions and never let the opponent finish development.
- Good conversion technique. Once you reach a clearly better ending (e.g. pawns on a7/a6 and passer on a-file) you convert efficiently and rarely let the evaluation slip.
2. Recurrent trouble-spots
| Theme | Example | Actionable tip |
|---|---|---|
| Over-expansion in the centre without support | Loss vs GMG – 21.d4? fxe5 22.dxe5 allowed Black to rip open files toward your king. | Before pushing a central pawn ask “How many defenders & attackers?” – the classic counting trick. |
| Pawns left on dark squares against opposite-coloured bishops | Loss vs Dubs123 (D34) where …Bg4/Bf5 hammered d4/f4. | Adopt the principle of two weaknesses: if you can’t protect dark squares, trade that bishop or change the pawn structure. |
| Time pressure in critical positions | Vs GMG you had <20 s by move 26; the blunder 29.Nd5? came instantly. | Add one quick “sanity check” per move: spend at least your increment when below 30 s. |
3. Opening priorities for the next month
- Ruy Lopez white repertoire refresh. The 9.Nxe5 line is a weapon, but you must memorise the …d5/…Qd7 antidotes. Spend one hour on the latest theory and create a flash-card for the critical branching point.
- Anti-Tarrasch structures as Black. In your wins you handle …c5 strikes well, yet in the D34 loss you let White keep the IQP pressure. Review the classic Rubinstein games; aim to place a knight on d5 sooner.
4. End-game micro-tasks
- Practise rook + passer vs rook with Chess.com drills five minutes daily – it will boost confidence when you reach those a-pawn races.
- Revisit opposite-colour bishop endings where pawn placement is crucial; your wins show comfort here, but the Keymer loss hinged on an opposite-colour scenario gone wrong.
5. Performance snapshots
Peak blitz rating: 2727 (2024-09-13) Peak rapid rating: 2529 (2021-11-21)
When you feel plateaued, check your playing-time analytics:
and . Many FMs/GMs discover a hidden dip during late-evening sessions.6. Next steps
- Annotate the critical phase of the GMG game.
Guideline: write one sentence per move explaining the reason, not just the move. - Create a mini-repertoire file for Ruy Lopez sidelines (8…Na5 lines). 30 minutes should suffice – keep it lightweight.
- Commit to a weekly 10-game block played with a strict 40 s per game for review rule. Reflection > volume.
Motivation boost
“Improvement is not linear – it’s a staircase. When you feel stuck, you’re just on a landing getting ready for the next step.”
Keep enjoying the game, Sam, and let me know if you’d like deeper opening files or end-game exercises!