Coach Chesswick
What you’re doing well
- You show clear tactical awareness and the ability to press when you have the initiative, converting chances into concrete results in several games.
- Your opening exploration is a strength. You’ve tried a variety of systems and found success in several, which helps you adapt to different opponents.
- You handle practical decisions under pressure well, keeping your position active and looking for opportunities even in sharp or unfamiliar middlegames.
Key areas to improve
- Time management: In longer daily games, avoid getting into deep time trouble. Practice a simple time-budget for the middle game and set a plan for the critical transitions to the endgame.
- Endgame conversion: When you gain a small edge, aim to convert more cleanly rather than trading into quieter endings. Work on a few practical rook endings and knight vs bishop endings to build confidence in finishing pushes.
- Opening consolidation and plans: You’ve had success with several openings, but some choices can lead to uncomfortable middlegames. Create a compact opening note with 2–3 core plans for each line you use regularly (typical pawn breaks, key squares, and target weaknesses for your opponent).
- Post-game review habit: After each daily game, write down the turning point, your plan at that moment, and one improvement to try next time. This will speed up learning from both wins and losses.
Opening performance highlights
- Sicilian Defense: Closed — excellent results (wins in both tests). Keep refining typical middlegame plans and the pawn structures you face.
- QGA: 3.e3 c5 — strong performance (wins in both games). Great spot to keep applying flexible, strategic play.
- Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation — one win; shows you can handle sharper lines with a solid plan.
- Kings Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Delayed Fianchetto — one win; continue building familiarity with typical ideas in this setup.
- Catalan Opening: Closed — one win; good sign of your ability to press on long diagonals and maintain activity.
- English Opening: Hedgehog System — one loss; consider strengthening the main Hedgehog plans or rotating to a more comfortable alternative when faced with unfamiliar responses.
- English Opening: Symmetrical Variation — one win; a solid option to keep in your repertoire with a few fixed plans.
- Australian Defense — one win; demonstrates curiosity and willingness to experiment with less common setups.
- Unknown line — continued exploration is good for learning, but aim to stabilize a small core of openings and know the main ideas well.
Practical practice plan (next 2 weeks)
- Time management drills: in every training game, set a soft clock and aim to spend a fixed amount on the first 15 moves, then reassess. Track your average move time and target gradual improvement.
- Opening focus (2 openings to consolidate):
- Sicilian Defense: Closed — deepen knowledge of main plans, typical pawn structures, and key breaks.
- QGA: 3.e3 c5 — reinforce the plan ideas and practice against common Black setups to keep your initiative intact.
- Endgame practice: dedicate 15–20 minutes per day to rook endings and pawn endings to build technique and confidence in converting small advantages.
- Post-game review: after each daily game, identify (1) what went well, (2) what could be improved, and (3) the turning point and plan for the next time this arises.
- Tactical training: regular puzzles focused on checks, forcing moves, and mating nets to keep your middlegame sharp.
Extra notes and quick references
If you’d like to review specific games or openings, you can access your profile overview or opening notes anytime. Karolina2013
For focused opening study, consider looking up the named openings you’ve played most often, such as Sicilian Defense: Closed, and QGA: 3.e3 c5. Sicilian Defense: Closed QGA: 3.e3 c5
When you’re ready, we can also create a short, annotated PGN for a recent win to highlight turning points and decision points.