Coach Chesswick
Hi m5swefy 👋 – Here’s a tailored improvement plan for you
1. Current snapshot
• Peak blitz rating: 248 (2023-12-12)
• Activity highlights:
2. What you already do well
- Initiative seeker: You willingly grab space and often push pawns to disturb your opponent’s setup (e.g. …f5 in your 04-June win).
- Decisive finishes: When you have an attack you rarely hesitate—four of your last five wins ended in checkmate before move 40.
- Tenacity in tactical positions: Even under pressure you keep looking for perpetual checks, forks and mating nets. This fighting spirit is a big asset!
3. Biggest improvement priorities
- King safety first. Many losses show your king trapped in the centre or chased across the board (see 06-June loss to kianuiigyf). Castle early unless you have a concrete reason not to.
- Stop over-using the queen. Early queen raids (…Qxe5+, …Qxb2, etc.) work against beginners but backfire once opponents develop quickly. Follow opening principles: develop minor pieces first, then connect rooks and only afterwards launch the queen.
- Tame the Scandinavian move-order. In several games you play 1…d5 2.exd5 …Nc6/…Ne5 without recapturing the pawn promptly. This gives White extra tempi. Study the main line 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 or consider the Modern Scandinavian with 2…Nf6.
- Improve calculation depth. Missed tactics (e.g. 22.Qxf7# vs ZweetNaadje) stem from stopping your calculation one move too early. Adopt a “blunder check” routine: before playing any move, scan every forcing reply (checks, captures, threats).
- Clock management. Two recent defeats were on time in winning or equal positions. Aim to keep at least 2 minutes after move 20 in 10|0. If you’re under 30 sec, simplify or force repetition.
4. Model game to study
Replay your cleanest recent win and ask, “Which choices created threats? Where could my opponent have defended?”
5. Opening focus for the next two weeks
| With White | With Black |
|---|---|
|
• Replace 1.e4 d3 systems with a principled setup: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 3.Bc4. • Learn one thematic idea per session (e.g. Italian Game: “aim for d4 break”). |
• Scandinavian upgrade: watch 15-move model games and copy the piece placement. • Versus 1.e4, practice the quick …Nf6 Scandinavian in puzzles until you know the first 8 moves without thinking. |
6. Daily training menu (≈30 min)
- 10 min: Puzzle rush survival – stop after first wrong answer to simulate tournament stakes.
- 5 min: Flash-review yesterday’s game; tag one move as “best” and one as “worst”.
- 10 min: Drill a mini-repertoire line on Lichess “board editor” or a physical board.
- 5 min: Endgame basics – king & pawn vs king, then add one pawn each side.
7. Quick tactical checklist
Before every move, ask:
- Are there any checks? (for me & the opponent)
- Any captures? (fork, pin, discovered attack?)
- Any direct threats?
8. Motivation corner
Your rating graph shows steady growth with short plateaus. Plateaus = learning phase. Stick to the plan above for 20 games and your 425 (2024-06-08) will climb.
Good luck, and remember: every blunder is a paid lesson—make the most of it!