Quick summary
Carlus — nice energy in your blitz session. The loss to ti_arosempre shows a clear, fixable pattern: you gave White a quick route to a classic king‑side mating net (queen + knight on h7). This wasn’t about long strategy — it was a short tactical/prophylactic oversight in the opening and early middlegame.
Key position / replay
Here’s the decisive sequence so you can replay it and watch the mating pattern:
- Replay:
- Final key position FEN (before mate): 1r1q1rk1/p4ppQ/3bb3/2n1p1N1/8/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 15
What went wrong (concrete)
Short list of the decisive mistakes in that game:
- You allowed White to keep the queen active early and capture on b7 — the queen’s presence on the queenside and then swinging to the kingside created tactical threats.
- Castled into a potential attack without addressing the simple Ng5 / Qxh7 idea. Castling is normally safe, but only after you check for short tactical threats.
- When White played Ng5 you didn’t use a quick defensive measure (for example ...h6, ...Be7, or exchanging on g5) to blunt the mating motif.
- Overall the error was tactical/prophylactic rather than strategic — you can fix it quickly with pattern work.
What you’re doing well
Your longer-term data shows clear strengths to build on:
- Strong opening repertoire and solid win rates in aggressive Sicilian systems — you’re comfortable in dynamic positions (see your Sicilian performance and the overall win rate).
- Good experience converting positions — your rating history and win totals show you usually find practical plans and convert advantages.
- In blitz you manage tempo and initiative well when you keep pieces active — keep playing the lines you know, but add a safety filter.
Simple checklist to avoid repeat mistakes (use during blitz)
- Before castling, ask: “Does my opponent have immediate mating ideas (Ng5, Bxh7, Qh5/Qxh7 or sacrifices)?” If yes, neutralize first.
- If your opponent’s queen is active and can jump to the kingside, consider a prophylactic pawn move like ...h6 or a piece trade on g5/square control.
- Don’t grab pawns with the queen (Qxb7 style) unless your safety is secure — material isn’t worth being mated.
- When you see Ng5 from White (or similar aiming moves), immediately check for Qxh7 or sacrifices — calculate 1–2 moves deep before making a risky plan.
Drills & short practice plan (15–30 minutes/day)
Focused, high‑impact practice you can do this week:
- 10 minutes daily: tactic trainer with emphasis on mating‑net themes (queen+knight on h7, Greek gift, back‑rank mates).
- 10 minutes: 5 blitz games where your explicit rule is “no risky queenside pawn grabs if the king isn’t safe.” Treat violations as practice mistakes and review them.
- 5 minutes: review one loss quickly — find the one move that changed the evaluation and write down the defensive idea you missed.
Concrete examples to try next session
- Against the Sicilian Defense (your frequent opening), when White’s queen or knight head toward g5/h7, prioritize ...Be7 or ...h6 over chasing material.
- If you’re unsure whether to castle, pause and check for short tactics — in blitz that can be 3–5 seconds; it’s often enough to avoid a trap.
- When you have time, analyze the Qxh7 motif: look for the defending moves that stop it (pawn push, interposition, or piece trade).
Short-term goals (next 7 days)
- Complete 50 mating‑pattern puzzles (focus: queen+knight, Greek gift, back‑rank). Track accuracy.
- Play 20 blitz games with the “safety first” rule and annotate 5 losses for missed prophylaxis.
- Pick one opening line you play often and add one defensive move to your notebook for typical tactical ideas (e.g., when castling is safe vs unsafe).
Longer-term improvement notes
Your rating history and opening win rates show you have the skill and stable progress. Strengthening pattern recognition and a short pre‑castling checklist will convert many of those tactical losses into wins or safe draws. Keep the aggressive repertoire — just add a simple safety filter.
If you want a follow-up
Tell me which area you want prioritized — mating patterns, opening traps in your main Sicilian lines, or a 1‑week practice plan I can lay out step‑by‑step. Also tell me if you want more game annotations (I can annotate this loss move‑by‑move).