Kiril Nesterenko CM

Quick summary

Nice work — you converted a messy middlegame into a concrete win by seizing activity and tactical targets. In the losses you showed fighting spirit but time trouble and a few defensive lapses cost you. Below are focused, practical suggestions you can act on right away.

What you did well (recent games)

• You punish loose targets quickly — in your most recent win you jumped on the b2/pawn idea and then centralized the queen and knights to keep the initiative. (Vladimir Bilic)
• Good piece activity: you like to put knights in advanced squares (Nc4 / Nd4) and use them to create tactical pressure.
• You don’t shy away from complications — that gives you practical chances in blitz, especially against opponents who panic in unusual positions.
• When ahead tactically you keep the momentum instead of simplifying too early — that’s often the fastest route to a resignation in blitz.

Recurring issues to fix

• Time management: several games show extreme time pressure late (moves with <1s on the clock). Those flags and hurried moves are turning winning/level positions into losses. Prioritize keeping a safe time buffer (10–15s) in blitz.
• Endgame technique under the clock: long endgames with pawns/rook vs minor pieces got messy — practice key winning/holding templates so you can move fast and confidently.
• Back-rank / mating nets and coordination: in one loss you were mated after heavy-piece activity on the kingside. Make a habit of checking back-rank luft and opponent checks before committing to a forcing line.
• Sometimes you grab material (pawns/pieces) and then allow counterplay. After winning material, switch to a simple plan: consolidate, trade off one attacker if needed, and reduce tactical risk.

Concrete drills and session plan (next 7 days)

• Daily tactics: 15–25 minutes focused on forks, knight tactics, pins and back-rank mates. Do puzzles but stop the timer and calculate — don’t guess under pressure.
• Time-control training: play 6–12 games of 5|3 or 3|2 (with increment) — the increment trains you not to flag and keeps you calm for complex decisions. Avoid too many 3|0 sessions until your clock handling improves.
• Endgame micro-sessions (3×10 min / week): rook endings, king + pawn vs king, basic queen vs pawn, and opposition/shouldering basics. Drill the technique until it's automatic.
• One-game postmortem each day: pick the loss that felt worst (example: mate vs Siar Yaran) and quickly find the single defensive move you missed — that builds pattern recognition faster than deep engine analysis.
• Opening checklist (5 minutes before each session): review one typical plan from your favoured lines like French Defense or Sicilian Defense: Closed so your first 10 moves are automatic and you save time for the middlegame.

Practical tips to use during games

• When you have <15s left, switch to a "practical mode": prefer safe developing moves and avoid speculative pawn grabs unless forced. Pre-move only if the tactic is forced and safe.
• Count candidate checks/captures before moving the king — many mates come from missed interpositions or luft opportunities.
• After winning a pawn ask: can I be attacked? If yes, simplify or trade pieces — you win more by reducing counterplay than by hunting the next pawn.
• Keep one second for pressing the clock: develop a habit of a single quick thought (candidate move) plus fast execution to avoid ritual mouse-slips/flagging.

Game references & study suggestions

Replay your recent win to cement the useful patterns — knight jumps to c4/d4 and the b2 tactic. Here’s a quick replay (Black orientation):

Review at least one loss with a 1-window engine check to find the tactical miss and the defensive resource you overlooked — focus on the one critical move, not the whole tree. Example opponents to review: BSWPaulsen and Siar Yaran.

Short-term goals (2 weeks)

• Stop flagging: target a 90% finish-rate in 5|3 games (i.e., not losing on time).
• Gain speed in common endgames: be able to convert a simple rook+king vs rook+king ending in under 5 minutes of practice time.
• Turn 1 missed back-rank/mate into 1 saved game per 10: catch the pattern before it costs material.

Closing / Encouragement

You’re doing the right things — activity, tactics and a willingness to complicate are strengths. Focus on the two small levers that will raise your blitz score fastest: better clock management and automatic endgame responses. Do the drills above for a week and we’ll review progress together.