Coach Chesswick
Hi Catalin, here’s some focused feedback to help you climb to the next level!
Your Competitive Edge
- Opening range & flexibility — You comfortably handle the English/Indian setups with g3, the Leningrad Dutch, and the Nimzo-Larsen, keeping opponents guessing.
- Dynamic pawn play — The breaks …e5 (Dutch) and d5/e4 (with White) are timed well and often seize the initiative.
- Clock management — Even in sharp lines you keep 20–30 s in reserve, letting you convert winning positions convincingly.
Growth Areas
- Staunton Gambit handling (Dutch)
Accepting the pawn is fine, but in your recent loss to Srecko Tosic you missed the critical …d6xd5 strike, leaving the king in the centre.
Key sequence: . - Piece coordination in simplified positions
In several losses (e.g. vs Ekrem Koso) your pieces became split on both wings after early pawn pushes. Train “piece harmony” drills and ask, “Which piece is not working right now?” before every move. - Endgame conversion vs. stubborn defence
When you’re up material the technique is usually clean, but in a few games the win slipped when rooks became passive. Revisit classic rook-endgame endings to sharpen the instinct for: active rook + king, passed pawn creation, and cutting-off the enemy king.
Action Plan for the Next 30 Days
| Focus | Daily Drill | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Staunton Dutch | Analyse 5 GM games; play 10 rapid sparring games starting from move 4 as Black. | Score >60 % and feel comfortable by move 10. |
| Piece Harmony | 15 min of “Find the worst placed piece” puzzles. | Instantly spot uncoordinated pieces during blitz. |
| Rook Endgames | 3 key positions from Silman’s Endgame Course with engine check. | No endgame wins left on the table. |
Quick Stats & Trends
- Peak Blitz rating: 2413 (2020-07-08)
- When you play between 21:00–23:00 your win-rate spikes: .
- Your Sunday performance is noticeably lower than weekday average: .
Key Concept Refresher
• Review weak-square complexes after …f5 in the Dutch (especially e6/d5) → see light-square strategy.
• In the English setups, remember the Maroczy bind-style clamp with c4 + e4 against …c5 breaks to restrict counterplay.
• Keep an eye on conversion technique: trade into winning endings only when the resulting position is simple, not merely “better”.
Final Encouragement
Your tactical eye and breadth of openings already put you in the top tier of online blitz. By tightening up the Dutch sidelines and polishing endgame fundamentals, 2400+ will be well within reach. Enjoy the journey and good luck at the board!