Marcin Molenda IM

Quick summary

Nice run recently — you're converting strong middlegame advantages and finishing with clean technique. Your recent Oct 6 game vs aivrs is a good example of turning activity and passed pawns into a win. Your overall adjusted win rate (~56%) and positive rating slope show you're trending up.

Recent game to review (play through)

Revisit the Oct 6 victory vs aivrs — focus on how you increased pressure and simplified into a winning rook + pawn ending.

What you're doing well

• Strong opening results in many systems (Scotch, Four Knights, several Sicilian lines and the London) — your preparation and familiarity pay off.
• Good attacking instincts: you create kingside pressure and open files with pawn storms (examples vs catty321 and Lidong Wang).
• Conversion technique: you calmly turned activity into a winning rook endgame on Oct 6 — strong sense for simplifying at the right moment.
• Consistent positive rating trend and a decent strength-adjusted win rate — shows good practical play and decision-making under rapid time controls.

Primary weaknesses to fix

• King safety after exchanges: in your most recent loss to eduardotare you got exposed after tactical exchanges around the king. Be cautious accepting captures that open lines toward your king.
• Occasional tactical vulnerability — a few games show missed defensive resources or countertactics. Sharpen pattern recognition for forks, discovered checks and back-rank ideas.
• Specific openings with lower win rate: the QGD Ragozin and Barnes Defense lines have mixed results — either refine the lines or avoid them in fast games until you feel comfortable.
• Time-management habits: in rapid you often have good time but keep an eye for mini-time-scrambles where accuracy falls. Use increments to double-check forcing lines.

Concrete training plan (4-week cycle)

• Daily (15–25 minutes): 20 tactical puzzles focused on motifs you miss (pins, forks, discovered attacks). Use mixed difficulty — aim for speed + accuracy.
• 3× per week (30–45 minutes): Analyze one loss and one close win with an engine — but first do a “why did I play this?” self-check. Ask: what was my opponent threatening? What plan did I have?
• Weekly (1 session): 45–60 minutes endgame study — rook endings and simple king+pawn conversions. Your conversion is good; make it bulletproof.
• Openings (2 sessions/week, 30 min): Solidify your home repertoire. Keep what works (Scotch, Four Knights, Caro-Kann Classical). For the QGD Ragozin and Barnes, pick one practical improvement or sideline to test twice and evaluate.
• Practical play: 10 rapid games per week, then pick 2 to review. Focus on applying the tactics and king safety checklist.

Game-specific checklist (before and during the game)

• Before castling/accepting trades: scan for enemy knights and bishops that could hop to attacking squares — avoid creating flightless squares for your king.
• When materially even and pieces are active: prefer simplifying to winning endgames only if your king is safer than opponent's and pawn structure is better.
• On each move: ask three quick questions — (1) What is my opponent threatening? (2) Is any of my piece loose or en prise? (3) Do I have tactical shots I can force?
• Endgame habit: trade into pawn endings only if you understand the resulting pawn structure; otherwise keep rooks/active pieces.

Short-term goals (next 30 days)

• Cut down on king-exposure losses — aim to reduce tactical blunders by 30% (track in your reviews).
• Work one weak opening (e.g. QGD: Ragozin) and play it twice in rated games to test fixes.
• Complete a 4-week endgame module: basic rook endgames, Lucena, Philidor basics.

Notes & resources (placeholders)

• Review the Oct 6 game vs aivrs and the June loss vs eduardotare — both are instructive in opposite directions.
• Openings to keep using: Scotch Game, Four Knights Game, Caro-Kann Defense — these suit your style.
• Openings to polish: QGD: Ragozin, Barnes Defense — pick one short plan and one anti-trick each.
• Placeholder for study log: add short notes after each session — what tactic motifs recurred, which endgames felt shaky.

If you want, I can produce a personalized 4-week calendar with exact daily exercises and links to positions from your recent games to drill.