Coach Chesswick
Hi mehdi3098895!
Congrats on consistently performing around the 2500-blitz mark (2550 (2019-04-23)). Your recent results show an excellent fighting spirit and a willingness to venture into sharp, dynamic positions. Below is some personalised feedback based on your latest games.
What you’re doing well
- Dynamic piece play: In the win vs Brucey100 (B04) you willingly gave up structure for active pieces and converted confidently after 29…Nd3+.
- Practical decision-making under time pressure: You frequently reach favourable N + P endings with only seconds left and still convert (e.g. vs UzuHa-NaruSuke).
- Resilience: Even when the opening goes badly you find counter-chances (see 23…Qg4 in the first PGN, turning a passive position into an attack).
Key areas to focus on next
-
Pawn grabbing in the opening
In your loss to SecretGM (A09) 7…Nxb4!? won a pawn but cost valuable development time. Eight moves later White’s lead in development and the open e-file were decisive.
Ask yourself whether the extra pawn is worth letting White build a lead in development. Often the safer course is a consolidating move like 7…Bxb4+ or 7…a5. -
King safety when you castle short in Alekhine/Nimzowitsch structures
Several opponents exploited the dark-square complex around e6–g7–h6. Study typical plans after …g6 & …Bg7; be ready for sacrifices on h5/h6 and thematic lever f4-f5. Tip: Load master games where Black delays …g6 in favour of …d6, …e5, bringing the queen to e7 first. -
End-game conversion technique
You handle tactical finishes well, but in quieter endings you sometimes chase pawns instead of centralising the king. Set up drills with 4-5-pawn rook endings and practise the “cut-off king → advance h-pawn” plan until it’s automatic. -
Clock management in 60-sec games
Two recent time-forfeit losses came from completely winning positions. Adopt a “pre-move ladder” for forced sequences and consider switching to increment (e.g. 1 | 1) when practicing new openings.
Opening repertoire suggestions
| You’re playing | Idea to test |
|---|---|
| Alekhine (…Nf6) | Occasionally mix in 1…e5 to practice classical structures and avoid opponent prep. |
| Modern / Pirc setups | Study the plan …c5 & …Nc6 vs the Austrian Attack, postponing …g6. |
| 1 Nc3 / 1 b3 with White | Add a main-line e4-opening (Italian or Catalan) to broaden middlegame patterns. |
Middlegame themes to drill
- Outpost creation on d4/e5; convert a knight on an outpost into material gain.
- Exchange sacrifices on c3/c6 – when they work, when they don’t (exchange sacrifice).
- Recognising transition moments to simplify vs to maintain tension. Use annotated GM games to see how they judge such transitions.
Study plan (4 weeks)
- Week 1: Analyse every lost game where you took a pawn early. Tag them “Greedy7” for quick review.
- Week 2: 30-minute daily end-game practice (rook + pawn). Use Chess.com drills or Lichess studies.
- Week 3: Watch a video series on prophylaxis (e.g. by Dvoretsky) and summarise 5 takeaways.
- Week 4: Play a ten-game mini-match in the Italian as White; no offbeat first moves allowed.
Your activity charts
Keep in touch
Feel free to send any tricky positions you encounter. I’m always happy to dissect them move by move.
“When you see a good move, look for a better one.” – always applicable, even in bullet!