Coach Chesswick
Hi myer4343! đź‘‹ Here is some personalized feedback to help you climb to the next level.
What you already do well
- Tactical alertness: You spot loose pieces quickly and aren’t afraid to win material (e.g. 3 Qxe5+ and 4 Qxh8 in your latest win).
- King-side attacks: When the opponent’s king remains in the centre you instinctively look for checks, particularly with your queen and rook battery.
- Confidence in complications: Even after a mistake you keep searching for resources instead of resigning too early—this fighting spirit is a real asset.
Priority improvements
- Develop pieces before the queen: Early queen raids (Wayward Queen Attack & 2…Qg5, 2…Qe7 etc.) work against beginners but backfire as soon as opponents know the refutation. • Try the simple rules “don’t move the queen in the first 3 moves” and “no piece twice until every minor piece is out”. • Challenge: Play 20 games where your first queen move happens after move 8.
- King safety & castling: Four of your recent losses feature an uncastled king that became the tactical target. Make it a habit to castle by move 8–10 unless you have a concrete reason not to.
- Time management: Your latest loss was on time with plenty of pieces still on the board. • Use the opening phase to save time: rely on a compact repertoire you know well so you can play the first 6–8 moves almost instantly. • Glance at the clock every 5 moves; aim to keep ≥40 % of your time for the last 20 moves.
- Endgame fundamentals: When queens come off you sometimes drift (e.g. missing passed-pawn races). Spend one week on the “basic mates” ladder (K+Q vs K, K+R vs K, Lucena & Philidor).
Opening menu (suggestion)
| You play White | You play Black |
|---|---|
| • Start with the Italian: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4. • Learn one simple line against 2…Nf6 (the Two-Knights Defence). • Keep Qh5 as a surprise weapon only if you’re already up a full point in a match. | • Against 1 e4 try the Scandinavian: 1…d5 – it puts your queen out early but on a safe square (d5) and teaches you the difference between a sound and unsound queen sortie. • Against 1 d4 stick to …d5 plus …e6 structures (Mini-Queen’s-Gambit style) so you can castle quickly. |
Typical tactical themes to drill
Run 30 puzzles per week focused on:
- Forks (fork) – especially knight forks on c7/e6/f7.
- Back-rank mates – many of your wins are one move before this theme; learn the defensive ideas too.
- Discovered attacks – your bishops often hide behind pawns; unleash them with tempo.
Annotated snapshot – critical moment of your last win
Black could have equalised with 3…Qe7 instead of 3…Be7. Play through the mini-game below and try to find that defence for Black before revealing the move list.
Goals for the next month
- Achieve 691 (2023-11-03) + 50 by focusing on principled openings.
- Finish at least 100 puzzles with ≥60 % accuracy.
- Upload one of your games each week with your own notes; self-reflection accelerates learning.
Progress trackers
Use the charts below to make improvement visible:
Remember
Play active but sound chess: develop, castle, connect rooks—
then let your tactical eye finish the job!
Good luck, and enjoy the journey! – Your Coach 🤗