LxChubby IM

Hi LxChubby!

You are playing at an impressive level – the quality of your tactical calculation and your willingness to seize the initiative stand out. Below is a concise review of recent games, followed by suggestions that should give you the next performance bump on the road beyond 3019 (2023-10-13).

What you’re already doing well

• Dynamic piece play. In both your wins with Black (e.g. vs KRAT0S_GOW) and White (vs TargetTheTop) you repeatedly chose active squares for your knights and bishops, keeping constant pressure.
• Practical speed. You manage the clock nicely in 3-minute games, often keeping a 15–20 s cushion while posing tough questions to your opponent.
• Endgame resourcefulness. The win vs PyrihRoman showed good awareness of passer races and rook activity. Even when positions simplify you still hunt for winning chances.

Recurring trouble-spots

1. King safety when you delay castling.
   • In the Nimzo-Indian loss to Gangster-accountant01 your king wandered to e7 on move 17 and never found shelter. • In the Ruy López vs Statham, keeping the king in the centre allowed White’s rook lift 23.Nd2–f1–g3–g7 to appear with tempo. ➜ Action plan: Make a “castle or clarify” decision by move 10 in every opening. If you stay in the centre, the position must be closed or you must be a full pawn up.
2. Over-committing pawn thrusts.
   • Against the English (loss to FGHSMN) the early …b5/…c5 left holes on d5/e5 and weakened dark squares after 14.g6. • In the Kmoch Nimzo you played …b5, …c6, …c5, …g6 in rapid succession – four pawn moves and zero new pieces developed. ➜ Action plan: Before pushing side pawns ask, “Am I ahead in development? Will this pawn still be well-placed if files open?” Quick test: if you cannot meet a central break (e4/e5 or d4/d5) comfortably, postpone the pawn push.
3. Handling opposite-flank races.
   Several losses feature positions where both sides attack (e.g. your queenside play vs Ga_R while White built up in the centre/kingside). ➜ Action plan: During mutual races count tempi objectively. If you’re one tempo slower, switch to defence; if equal, trade a pair of attacking pieces to blunt his initiative.
4. Converting technical wins.
   The long Q vs RR endgame vs Gangster-accountant01 slipped away into mate. You forced 60-move technique but missed 57…Qc6+! earlier. ➜ Action plan: Add 15 minutes of tablebase drill each week (Q vs RR, Q vs R + P, R + P vs R). It will repay itself many times in bullet & blitz.

Opening tweaks worth testing

• As Black vs 1.e4: Your Italian …Bc5 system is solid, but in bullet the early …a5/…Ra5 manoeuvre costs time. Test the Two Knights (3…Nf6 4.Ng5 d5) to keep pieces closer to the king and cut theory memorisation.
• As Black vs 1.d4/c4: Blend your Nimzo repertoire with an occasional Bogo-Indian (3…Bb4+) to sidestep the f3 & 4.Qc2 lines that slowed you down in recent games.
• As White: Your d4 games look sharp, but your e4 portfolio is narrower. Sprinkle in one anti-…e5 line (e.g. the Scotch or deferred exchange Ruy) to stay fresh.

Suggested weekly routine

• 3 × 15 min tactics burst (rating > 3200 problems) – keep calculation sharp.
• 2 × 20 min endgame tablebase drill (see point 4).
• Analyze one of your own losses without engine first; then verify with engine. Focus on first irreversible error, not the blunder that ended the game.
• Play a slow (15|10) game once a week to practise disciplined development before pawn expansion.

Your performance snapshots

Keep the pressure, refine the structure of your games, and you’ll soon convert even more of those razor-sharp positions into wins. Good luck!