Like962 GM

Hi Like962 — personalised post-game feedback

Quick overview

• Current form: solid tactical wins against 2550+ opponents, but a streak of fast-paced losses as White.
• Peak performance:
• Typical session times & results:
• Day-to-day consistency:

What you’re doing well

1. Dynamic piece play. Your recent Sicilian win over siruntxa44 featured the instructive manoeuvre 20…Rac8! & 25…Bc4, constantly switching the bishop to the most active diagonal.
2. Converting advantages. In both Scandinavian victories you simplified into favourable rook-and-pawn endgames and kept your technique clean.
   Example finish (highlights only):
   
3. Opening range as Black. You comfortably switch between the Sicilian ( …c5 ), Scandinavian ( …d5 ) and QGD setups, which makes you unpredictable.

Recurring problems

1. King safety after early pawn pushes. Several losses start with g-pawn or h-pawn advances (e.g. 7.g3 vs aska04 and 7.g4 vs bruvski0708). The resulting dark-square holes invited tactics you could not answer in 3-minute time controls.
2. Impulse sacrifices. Ideas such as 18.Rxf5?! (vs aska04) or 25.Nf6+!? (vs bruvski) weren’t objectively sound and cost material without sufficient compensation.
3. Time management. You often reach critical positions with <20 seconds, after which blunders follow quickly. This is visible in all five recent defeats.

Targeted training plan

1. Openings (White)

• Adopt a main-line Slav/Catalan repertoire that keeps the centre solid and postpones wing pawn pushes.
  Key idea: play 7.e3 instead of 7.g3 in the Slav to avoid early …dxc4 followed by …c5-c4.
• Memorise critical branches only up to move 12; spend the next study phase on typical middlegame plans instead of exact moves.

2. Middlegame

• Daily tactics: mix of mate-in-2 and defensive puzzles (focus on “find the refutation”).
• Prophylaxis drills: after each opponent move, force yourself to ask “what is their threat?” before considering your own plans — this will reduce speculative sacs.

3. Endgame

• You convert advantages well; reinforce this strength by revising the Philidor and Lucena rook endgames (Philidor, Lucena).

4. Clock handling

• Play two 5 + 5 games for every set of 3 + 0 blitz sessions. The added increment trains you to calculate without panicking yet still keeps the pressure realistic.
• Adopt a micro-routine: If you are under 30 seconds, move on forcing replies (checks, captures, threats) rather than positional manoeuvres.

Next steps

• Analyse the full loss against aska04 with an engine, paying special attention to the position after 17.Bh5.
• Review the diagram below once, then replay it without a board — this strengthens visualisation:

• Schedule a follow-up coaching session in one week; bring two games where you felt completely in control and two where you felt lost early.

Stay motivated!

Your tactical eye is already master level — sharpen your defensive awareness and clock control, and a rating jump is inevitable. Good luck in your next matches!