Marigje Degrande WFM

Feedback for Marigje Degrande

Hi Marigje, I’ve reviewed some of your recent games and I want to commend you on your active and fighting style. Your opening choices (mostly English and Catalan structures) show a good understanding of strategic fundamentals. Here are some specific observations and suggestions to help you improve even further:

Strengths

• Opening Knowledge: You consistently play sound openings and often reach solid, flexible middlegame positions.
• Tactical Awareness: You have a tendency to capitalize on opponent's inaccuracies and tactical oversights, which is a great edge in both rapid and daily games.
• King Safety: Castling promptly and maintaining your king’s safety is a plus in your games.

Areas for Improvement

• Decision Making in Complex Positions: In some critical moments, it seems there is hesitation or suboptimal moves that allow your opponent to seize the initiative. Focus on improving calculation accuracy, especially in tactical sequences where material imbalances arise.
• Endgame Technique: Some losses demonstrate that there is room for sharpening your endgame skills. Regularly practicing fundamental endgame positions (king and pawn, rook endgames) will increase your conversion rate in close games.
• Time Management: In longer time controls, try to balance your time usage better. Avoid spending too much time on less critical moves and make sure you have enough time to solve complex middlegame and endgame challenges.
• Handling Pressure: When defending, keep calm and look for active defensive resources or counterplay instead of passive or weakening moves.

Practical Suggestions

• Continue reviewing your losses by key positions — try to understand if there was a turning point where evaluation changed drastically.
• In your recent win against MihirRaja (English Opening), you played aggressively and pressured the opponent effectively. Look to replicate this assertiveness especially when you have good development and space.
• Consider adding some structured endgame study sessions to your training routine — this will pay off in longer games.

Overall, you are on a great path. Keep focusing on deepening your understanding of tactical motifs and endgame scenarios. Patience and consistent practice will show steady rating improvement.