Sasha Mongeli WFM

Hi Sasha (mong2069) – Post-Match Assessment & Improvement Plan

1. What you are already doing well

• Aggressive opening repertoire. 1.d4 and the Benko/Benoni structures clearly suit your appetite for dynamic positions. Your most-recent blitz win versus tal_1959 shows confident pawn sacrifices to open lines and generate initiative.
• Tactical alertness. Forks such as 34.Nb6⁺ and the resource 37.Nxf8⁺ highlight good calculation speed.
• Practical fighting spirit. You keep posing problems even when accuracy slips, forcing opponents into their own time trouble – a valuable blitz skill.
• Peak rating: 1947 (2023-01-15) demonstrates that you can already compete solidly in the 1900 zone.

2. Key growth areas

1. Time management consistency. Roughly 40 % of your decisive results come from the clock (both wins and losses). Build a rhythm: opening moves ≤ 5 seconds, critical middlegame decisions 20-30 seconds, simplify early when under 45 seconds.
2. Converting winning positions. In the Tal_1959 game you were a full rook up by move 29 yet needed ten extra checks before the flag fell. Practise “simple is strong”: trade queens or return material for a clean ending instead of perpetual checks.
3. Benko defence technique. Your most-recent loss (daily game vs. badeend70) shows three common Benko problems:
   • …Bxf1 on move 8 deprived you of your best attacking bishop.
   • Premature …Rfb8/…Rb7 let White consolidate on the b-file.
   • Lack of central counterplay (…e6/…e5 ideas) allowed White to keep the extra pawn.
   A short targeted study of the ...e6 Benko plans will boost results quickly.
4. Endgame fundamentals. Several blitz games ended with a rook-and-pawn ending that could have been simplified earlier. Revisit the “Lucena” and “Philidor” setups and the concept of the outside passed pawn.

3. Opening tune-ups for the next two weeks

4. Middlegame checklist

Before every critical move, ask yourself:

1. “What does my opponent threaten?” – basic prophylaxis.
2. “Can I improve my worst piece?” – typical Benko/Benoni rule.
3. “If the queens were traded now, would I still be better?” – encourages clean conversions.

5. Weekly training menu (approx. 3–4 h total)

• 30 min x 2: Thematic puzzles with the “Zwischenzug / intermediate move” tag – builds tactical depth.
• 45 min: Play 3 rook-and-pawn endings vs. engine set to 1800. Aim for textbook technique.
• 1 h: Analyse one of your own wins without an engine. Then compare to engine evaluation – this sharpens self-diagnosis.
• 30 min: Watch a Benko strategy video (centre-break timing & piece trades).

6. Progress tracker

7. Quick motivational note

“When you see a good move, look for a simpler one.”  — Adapted for Sasha’s blitz play

Keep the energy, tame the clock, and polish those endgames. See you at the next milestone!