Sabri Can Onay Yontar

Hi Sabri Can Onay Yontar!

Great effort in your recent blitz sessions. You are already playing comfortably in the low-2300s and you score well against strong opposition. Below is some focused feedback based on the last dozen games (wins and losses) to help you squeeze out the next 50-100 Elo points.

What you are doing well

• Tactical alertness – Your wins often come from well-calculated mini-combinations (e.g. 9.Bxf7+!! in several Bird-Defense games).
• Piece activity – In the victories your pieces flood the board; you rarely leave undeveloped pieces hanging back.
• Practical mindset – You play for the initiative and are not afraid to sacrifice pawns for open lines.

Where rating points are leaking

1. Early-queen Bird-Defense lines

The sequence …Qf6/…Qg6 in the Ruy Lopez – Bird Defense is giving opponents a free tempo tempo for their kingside pawn storm. Compare the two diagrams:

In the second (recommended) line you delay the queen, castle sooner and ask White to prove an advantage. Suggestion:

• Adopt 6…c6  7.Bc4 Nf6 8.O-O instead of 6…Qf6.
• Rehearse the main plans in 15-move depth so you can play them quickly in blitz.

2. Handling pawn storms against your own king

The loss to stame shows a recurring issue: you play …h6/…g6 to “stop” h-pawns but create targets. When the enemy advances g- and h-pawns do not respond with flank pawns unless you can lock the file. Instead:

1. Meet h4-h5 with …Nf5 or …f6, striking the centre.
2. If you must push …h6, be ready for …Kh7 and …Rg8 so the rook defends g-pawn laterally.

3. Experimental 1.e4 b3 set-ups

Your b3/Bb2 systems are creative but cost time in blitz and you lost three games after drifting into passive positions. My advice:

• Keep them as a surprise weapon for longer time controls.
• In three-minute games, stick to one mainline you trust (e.g. the Italian or Open Sicilian).

4. Time management

Five of the last 15 results were decided on the clock (both wins and losses). Your trend chart shows spikes in the final minute:

• Aim to reach move 20 with ≥60 seconds. If below 40 s, simplify or repeat moves to buy time.
• Practice “no-think” openings so the first 8-10 moves cost under 15 seconds.

5. Endgame conversion

In two losses you reached technically winning rook endings but let the clock and technique slip. Recommendation:

• Daily 5-minute drill: play KR-K endgames against the engine at depth 5 until you mate in < 30 seconds.
• Memorise the Lucena and Philidor setups.

10-Day Tune-Up Plan

1. Day 1-2: Watch 30 minutes of Bird-Defense model games; build a personal mini-file of 10 critical positions.
2. Day 3-4: Tactics – 50 puzzles per day, rating ≥2500.
3. Day 5: Endgame drill: K+R vs K, Lucena, Philidor.
4. Day 6-7: Blitz marathon (20 games) using mainline openings only. Review every loss for ≤5 minutes.
5. Day 8: Spar 5 rapid games (10 | 0) focusing on time discipline.
6. Day 9: Rest & review best/worst game with annotations.
7. Day 10: Rating test – 20 blitz games and compare performance to baseline.

Quick stats snapshot

• Peak blitz rating:
• Best hourly performance block: 21:00-22:00 (
  )

Keep sharpening your tactics and streamline your opening menu; the next step up is within reach. Good luck!