NotHalophilus

Hi NotHalophilus!

You have been climbing steadily to 1923 (2023-08-29) and your recent score sheet shows an active, tactical style built around flexible Reti-type setups (Nf3 / g3) and the Caro-Kann as Black. Below is a quick snapshot of when you tend to score best:

What’s already working well

• Early piece activity & queen trades. In several wins you simplified into queen-less middlegames and then out-paced the opponent on the clock. That is a reliable bullet strategy.
• Rook activity. When you get the initiative you aren’t afraid to double rooks and create 7th-rank threats, e.g. the position below where both of your rooks paralysed the Black king:

[[Pgn| 1. Nf3 d6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. d3 f6 5. Nbd2 e5 6. O-O Bd6 7. Re1 Ne7 8. e4 d4 9. Nc4 Bc7 10. Nh4 b5 11. Nd2 O-O 12. Nf1 Qe8 13. Nf3 Nd7 14. h4 f5 15. exf5 Nxf5 16. N1h2 Qe7 17. Bg5 Nf6 18. g4 Nh6 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. g5 fxg5 21. hxg5 Ng4 22. Nxg4 Bxg4 23. Qe2 Bxf3 24. Bxf3 Qxg5+ 25. Bg2 Kh8 26. Qe4 Rf4 27. Qxc6 Raf8 28. Re2 Ba5 29. Qxb5 Bd8 30. Qxe5+ |fen|3b1r1k/p6p/8/4R3/3p1r2/3P4/PPP2PB1/R5K1 b - -]]

• Tactical alertness. You frequently spot intermediate moves (e.g. 18…Nd4! and 18…Nxf6+ in your win vs Assdfg). Keep sharpening that skill.

Biggest improvement levers

1. Time management in winning positions.
   Five of your last seven losses came from flagging in technically won or drawable endings. Build a “conversion routine”: when you’re up material, pre-move the obvious recaptures, avoid unnecessary pawn pushes, and keep your king on a light square to reduce fork tactics.
2. King safety in the g3/h3 structures.
   The diagram below from the game against Raymundo Gonzalez shows how …Rxf2+ & …Rxh2# punished loose dark squares: [[Pgn| 1. Nf3 e6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. d3 Bg7 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. Bf1 b6 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. O-O Qe7 9. Re1 h5 10. e4 Ng4 11. c3 O-O-O 12. d4 Kb8 13. e5 f5 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Nf1 d6 16. Bd2 e5 17. Qc1 exd4 18. Nxd4 Qg7 19. Nxc6+ Bxc6 20. Bg5 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Rhf8 22. Bxf6 Rxf6 23. Ne3 Rxf2+ |fen|1k1r4/p1p3q1/1p1p2p1/7p/6n1/2P1N1PK/PP5r/R1Q1R3 w - -]] Play h3 only when you can answer …h4 with g4, or have a knight covering g4/f5.
3. Simplify your opening menu.
   Bullet rewards muscle memory. As White consider one main line after 1 Nf3 g6/…d5 (e.g. delayed c4 or immediate d4). As Black versus 1.d4 you alternate between …g6 systems and …d5/…e6 setups; pick the one you like more and drill 20-move “autopilot” sequences so you can save clock for the middlegame.
4. End-game technique.
   In the loss to buystocksandcypto you reached a won R+P vs K ending but let the clock run out. Practise the Philidor & Lucena rook endings until you can play them almost blindfolded—this both boosts confidence and saves precious seconds.

Quick drills for the week

• Play 10 bullet games where your only focus is never letting the clock drop under 15 s before move 30.
• Run a tactics trainer search for motifs “Rxf2 sacrifice” and “back-rank mate” (10-15 puzzles per day).
• Set up a board against an engine with the Lucena position and practise converting it five times in a row without thinking more than 3 s per move.

Next milestone

Clean up those avoidable time losses and you should break 1600+ bullet quickly. Your tactical eye is there—combine it with iron-clad king safety and faster conversions, and the rating curve will follow.

Good luck, and enjoy the grind!