Coach Chesswick
Hi Leonid!
Congratulations on your recent run of results. Holding a blitz rating around 2674 (2025-04-06) and beating 2300-2500 players consistently is no small feat. Below is a quick performance review with clear action points.
What You Already Do Very Well
- Opening preparation & variety – With White you navigate the Ruy-Lopez, French MacCutcheon and Four Knights confidently; with Black you alternate between the classical 1…e5, French and Pirc structures, keeping opponents guessing.
- Tactical awareness – Your wins over Darun Kledmanee, Hernan Catelli and Peter show sharp calculation and an eye for intermediate moves and pawn sacs that open lines toward the enemy king.
- Playing for the initiative – Even in equal positions you create imbalances (e.g. …f5 in French, …g6 in Ruy) rather than drifting, showing good fighting spirit.
Growth Opportunities
- Time management – Four of the six recent defeats were decided by flag or panic-moves in time trouble. Adopt a “speed-up” rule: if you drop under your starting increment within the first 15 moves, play the next three moves in ≤5 seconds each.
- Conversion technique – In the loss to spring2013break you were a clean rook up yet struggled to finish. Weekly end-game drills (rook vs pawns, opposite-coloured bishops, technical rook endings) will save you precious seconds and rating points.
- Prophylaxis & king safety – Losses vs Carlos Morales and BadRobocop featured premature pawn advances (…f5, …h5) that weakened dark squares around your king. Before pushing flank pawns, ask: “which squares become weak, and can they be exploited immediately?”
- Breadth in the repertoire – Most opponents prepare for your main-line Ruy. Adding a surprise weapon (Italian with c3 & d4, or a 1.d4 Catalan) will make your preparation harder to target.
4-Week Micro-Training Plan
- End-games: 15 min/day with “100 Endgames You Must Know” (chapters 1-15 in weeks 1-2, 16-30 in weeks 3-4).
- Self-annotation: Two 10 + 5 games per week; annotate first, engine-check second.
- Puzzle focus: Defensive motifs & prophylaxis (create a custom set or use a “Defend” trainer).
- Repertoire expansion: Pick one new line and play it exclusively in unrated blitz for a week; review results before moving to rated play.
Model Game to Revisit
Your latest win vs Tatar is a textbook example of building pressure and converting. Re-living the key moments with fresh commentary will reinforce good habits:
Performance Patterns
Next Milestone
With your tactical acumen already in place, adding disciplined clock handling and cleaner end-game technique can push you from the mid-2600s to the 2700+ bracket. Keep the fighting spirit, embrace small improvements each week, and enjoy the climb – you’re on the right path!
Questions or a new game to review? Drop me a message any time. Good luck!