Akshay Borgaonkar IM

Quick summary — blitz performance (for Akshay Borgaonkar)

You’re getting good results in blitz: steady upward rating trend, strong conversion in winning positions, and consistent use of familiar openings. Your recent victories show excellent rook activity and pawn promotion tactics; the loss highlights a moment where counterplay and piece coordination slipped. Below are targeted, practical steps to sharpen your blitz play.

Replay a recent win (review this position)

Study how you converted the advanced a‑pawn and used your rooks to dominate the 7th/8th ranks. Open the game and step through the final phase to see the technique.

• Game vs chessfan3143 — key finish: passed a‑pawn plus active rooks.
• Interactive replay:
  
  

What you’re doing well (blitz strengths)

• Creating and pushing passed pawns — you convert them decisively when the opponent lacks pieces to block.
• Rook activity — you place rooks on open files and the seventh rank quickly, turning small advantages into wins.
• Opening familiarity — you get playable middlegames in your main lines (for example, Caro-Kann Defense performance is solid).
• Practical decision-making — in time pressure you still find clear, simplifying plans rather than speculative moves.

Where to improve (highest impact items)

Focus on the handful of recurring issues that cost you the most in blitz:

• Counterplay awareness — in your loss the opponent generated a powerful passed pawn and you didn’t neutralize it soon enough. Watch for enemy pawn breaks and routes for knights to an outpost.
• Piece coordination vs tactics — avoid letting pieces become disconnected or trapped while you chase pawns. That “loose piece” situation invites forks and trades that flip the evaluation.
• Opening risk choices — some offbeat lines (your Amar Gambit games) have a lower win rate. Either study the sharp theory to be comfortable, or switch to safer sideline choices in blitz.
• Time allocation — keep an eye on those 40–60 second phases where you go fast. Spend a few extra seconds on critical captures and pawn breaks; small calculation checks prevent cheap reversals or "LPDO" moments.

Concrete drills and habits (do these for 20–40 minutes daily)

• Tactics: 12–20 mixed puzzles focusing on forks, pins and discovered attacks. Stop after each mistake and replay positions until you see the pattern.
• Endgame routine: 10–15 rook + pawn endings each session — practice converting with an outside passed pawn and using rooks on the seventh rank.
• Opening micro‑work: pick your top 2 openings (for you: Caro-Kann Defense and the London/Sicilian lines you like). Learn the typical pawn breaks and one or two improving sidelines for each.
• One-minute postmortem: after each blitz session, review 2 losing games and find the one move where evaluations shifted. Keep a short note: “why it went wrong.”

Simple practical rules for your next 50 blitz games

• When ahead in pawns: trade minor pieces, keep rooks active, and push the passed pawn — don’t allow counterplay on the other flank.
• If opponent gets a passed pawn: aim to blockade it with a knight or use your rook behind it; swap into a favorable king+rook vs king ending if possible.
• Avoid speculative gambits in blitz unless you know the key defensive ideas — your statistics show lower success with very sharp gambits.
• In time trouble: simplify if you’re better; create one threat at a time if equal — complexity favors the trailing clock.

Opening action items

• Keep using the Caro‑Kann — it gives you solid middlegames and your win rate there is decent. Study one pawn break (typical c‑ and d‑file plans) and one anti‑idea from opponents.
• Drop or deeply study the Amar Gambit if you play it frequently — its win rate is significantly lower; either make it a surprise weapon or move to a safer gambit/line.
• Use short opening notes on your phone: one plan for each opponent response. That saves time and reduces early tactical blunders.

Mindset & practical tweaks

• Adopt a single question before every move in critical moments: “What is my opponent threatening?” If nothing, carry out your plan.
• When you see a tempting capture, ask: “Does this create a loose piece or allow a fork?” — this avoids LPDO moments.
• Keep short notes from postmortems — after 20 games you’ll see patterns (time leak on specific move types, repeated tactical theme, etc.).

Next steps (this week)

• Run one 15–20 minute tactics session and one 20 minute rook‑endgame session.
• Pick one recent loss and do a 5–10 minute deep postmortem — write the turning move and alternative.
• Play a 50‑game blitz block focusing on sticking to two opening repertoires; track how many games you convert passed pawns.

Motivation & closing

Your long history and the recent positive slope (+33 last month, +87 last 6 months) show you’re improving and adapting. Keep the focused drills above, and your practical blitz technique (especially rook + pawn endings and time management) will push your win rate higher.

Want a short personalized plan for the next 2 weeks (tactics set, 5 rook endgames, and 4 opening lines to review)? Reply and I’ll prepare one tailored to your schedule.