Leonid Starozhilov FM

Quick summary

Nice work — you beat a 2698 opponent with clean tactical play and rook infiltration, and you kept the games sharp in the Caro‑Kann Exchange. The loss vs a 2863 player looks like it came from severe time pressure rather than a strategic collapse. Small, high‑impact fixes (clock, opening move order, a few tactical checks) will give you an immediate rating advantage in bullet.

Games & links

• Win vs mixail_tal08 — solid conversion in the middlegame. Game viewer:
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• Loss vs jazmincatorce — you ran out of time (flagged) in a messy rook endgame. Review clock habits and simplify when low on time.
• Opening in both games: Caro-Kann Defense (Exchange lines / B13).

What you're doing well

• Active piece play — you find strong file and rank penetration (example: rook activity on the 2nd rank in your win).
• Tactical alertness — you spotted and executed combinations that won material or decisive activity under time pressure.
• Opening consistency — you repeatedly reach familiar Caro‑Kann Exchange structures, which helps speed and practical play in bullet.
• Resilience vs stronger opponents — you keep complications on the board and create practical chances.

Biggest areas to fix (high ROI)

• Clock management / Zeitnot: your loss was decided by time. Prioritize simple steps when below ~10 seconds: pre‑move safe recaptures, trade down, avoid long calculation. Consider using more increment games for practice.
• Pre‑move discipline: pre‑moves win time but can lose positions. Create a short checklist for when to pre‑move (safe capture, forced recapture, clear winning line).
• Opening move‑orders in the Exchange: your setup with ...g6 and ...Bg7 is playable, but keep an eye on white jumps to e5/c5. Learn typical pawn breaks and where to place knights to avoid giving White outposts.
• Transition to the endgame: when material becomes simplified (rooks + pawns), pick clear plans (active king, invade with rooks) rather than tactical shot attempts when low on time.

Concrete drills & next steps (do these for 2–4 weeks)

• Daily tactics: 10–20 bullet puzzles focusing on rook & back‑rank motifs and forks — these appear often in your games.
• Clock drill: play 10 games of 1+1 or 3+1 and force yourself to simplify when under 10 seconds. Track how often you flag — goal: halve flag rate in two weeks.
• Opening refresh (30 minutes): study 5 common Exchange Variation move orders and the typical plans for Black (where to put the knights, when to play ...b5 or ...e5). Save one page with “safe moves” to speed up your first 10 moves in bullet.
• Endgame basics: 15 minutes, three times a week — rook endgame drills (invasion, cutting king off, active rook vs passive rook). Convert one won rook ending per practice session.

Practical bullet checklist (stick it on your screen)

• Phase 1 (opening, moves 1–12): play your prepared line fast — avoid new complications.
• Phase 2 (middlegame): if ahead in position or time, simplify and trade into a winning ending; if behind, keep complexity and look for tactical shots.
• If below 10s: stop long calculations. Use pre‑moves only when completely safe (forced recapture, single reply).
• Always ask: “Is my king safe? Do I have any immediate checks or captures?” — answer in 2–3 seconds, then move.

Friendly tactical notes from the win

In the game vs Mixail_Tal08 you used a knight/rook exchange to open files and then doubled down with rook invasion on the second rank. That sequence is exactly what you want from the Exchange: trade pieces when it gives open files and a clear target. Keep repeating that pattern and it will become automatic in bullet.

Closing / plan for your next session

Start the next session with a 10‑minute warmup: 5 tactical puzzles, 5 minutes of 3+1 focusing on the first 12 moves of your Caro‑Kann lines, then one 1+1 run to practice flagging avoidance. Revisit this note after 7 sessions and we can tweak the plan.