Lasse Østebø Løvik IM

Feedback for Lasse Østebø Løvik — recent blitz play

Blitz tends to reward quick, principled decisions and accurate calculation under pressure. Based on your recent results, you show solid willingness to fight for initiative and you can convert active middlegame play into tangible results. Here are practical takeaways to build on in the next sessions.

• You handle dynamic, tactical positions well when you have active piece play and space. This helps you create practical chances and pressure opponents into mistakes.
• Your willingness to pursue aggressive ideas in the middlegame often leads to concrete winning chances, especially in lines where you can threaten the enemy king or seize the initiative quickly.
• You demonstrate resilience in blitz: you stay in the game and look for practical resources even when the position becomes tricky.

Key areas to improve

• Time management under pressure: in blitz, you may rush critical moments or miss simple improvements while calculating. Develop a quick, reliable decision pattern for the early middlegame, so you’re not scrambling in the later moves.
• Pattern recognition and puzzles: strengthen recognition of tactical motifs (forks, pins, skewers, discovered checks) with daily puzzles. Regular, focused practice will help you spot forcing lines faster in real games.
• Endgame technique: several wins and losses in blitz hinge on the endgame. Improve king activity, rook endings, and basic pawn endgames (opposition, outside passed pawns) to convert advantages more reliably.
• Opening consistency: your openings show breadth, but blitz benefits from a tighter repertoire. Select 1–2 White openings and 1–2 Black defenses to study deeply over the next few weeks. This reduces early mistakes and gives you clearer middlegame plans.
• Blunder protection: build a simple post-move check routine (two quick questions: “Is there a direct threat I’m missing?” and “Am I leaving a piece en prise or a tactic for the opponent?”) to catch obvious mistakes before time pressure intensifies.

Opening strategy and repertoire suggestions

Based on the openings you’ve used, you perform well in dynamic, fighting structures. Consider the following focused plan for blitz:

• Dedicate two openings to your Black repertoire that you enjoy and understand best (for example, Grunfeld/Kings Indian family or a sharp Sicilian path) and study 3 main lines against 1.e4 and 1.d4.
• For White, pick one flexible setup (for example Queen’s Gambit/Slav or a solid Ruy Lopez with a few trusted variations) and learn key plans for the middlegame in each line.
• Prepare a few “rule of thumb” middlegame plans for each opening to avoid getting lost in the chaos when the clock is tight.

Practice plan and goals (next 2–3 weeks)

• Daily puzzles: 15–20 minutes focused on tactical motifs (forks, pins, double attacks) and forcing moves.
• Endgame drill: 2 short sessions per week focusing on rook endings and king-and-pawn endings; practice common techniques with simple positions.
• Opening study: 2 sessions per week to deepen understanding of your chosen White and Black repertoires; build 2–3 representative lines for quick recall in blitz.
• Post-game reflections: after each blitz session, write 3 concrete takeaways (what you did well, what you misjudged, and what you will change next time).

Optional quick drills you can start today

• Play a 5+0 blitz set, then review your last 5 games focusing on the first 15 moves to evaluate whether you had a clear plan or drifted into unclear improvisation.
• Practice rook and pawn endgames with a simple, repeatable drill set (e.g., rook vs rook with pawns, promoted passed pawns scenarios).
• Do a 10-minute tactical blitz drill: aim to identify at least 2 tactical opportunities per game and verify them quickly with a board or a mental check.