Coach Chesswick
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:
- 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
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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. -
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. -
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. -
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!