Hi Aleksander,
Congratulations on the strong results you have been posting in blitz! Your tactical alertness and willingness to play dynamically are obvious in many of your recent games. Below is a summary of what you are already doing well, followed by a set of concrete, actionable suggestions to help you squeeze out a few extra rating points.
What you are doing well
- Fighting spirit. Even in worse positions you keep posing problems and often win on the clock.
- Tactical eye. Your win against Paul Gold shows crisp calculation and confidence in complications.
- Opening variety. You alternate between 1.e4, 1.d4 and sometimes c4-based systems, keeping opponents guessing.
Three priority areas
1. Time management
You frequently reach critical positions with <20 seconds. In the loss versus Gianmarco_es you spent 1:30 on 17…Rxc3 and never recovered on the clock. Try to adopt a “speed limit”: if your clock drops below 1:40 in the first 15 moves, play two quick, safe developing moves before thinking again.
2. Objectivity in sharp lines
The following fragment shows a brave but incorrect sacrifice that turned the tide against you:
Engine analysis reveals that 17…Bxf6 would keep equality, while 17…Rxc3? walks into 18.Bxe7. The key takeaway: once you spot an attractive tactical continuation, give yourself an extra five-second “sanity check” before pulling the trigger.
3. Technical conversion
You often obtain winning positions but let them linger. In the victory over angryhorse9 you were completely winning by move 30 but needed another 25 moves to finish the game. Practise converting extra-material endings against engines set to 1800-2000 strength; this will reinforce clean technique and save time on the clock.
Opening tune-ups
- French Tarrasch, Closed: After 5.Nxe4 dxe4 6.Bc4 you met 6…c5!? A more reliable equaliser is 6…b6 followed by …Ba6; it sidesteps the space disadvantage without loosening the d5 pawn.
- Ruy Lopez with 3…g6. Your setup versus the Ruy shows promise. Study two model games by Radjabov to see typical pawn breaks …f5 and …d5 executed under good conditions.
- Sicilian Kan. When you answer 8…Bxc3 you must be ready for the Nb5-c7 ideas. Consider the alternative 8…d5! which equalises immediately and avoids a long defensive task.
Training plan for the next four weeks
- Daily tactics: 20 puzzles focusing on intermediate moves and defensive resources.
- Endgame mini-sessions: 15 minutes of rook-and-pawn vs rook endings every second day.
- Opening flashcards: Create a deck of critical French and Kan positions; drill until you can recall the next three moves in <15 seconds.
- Play & review: After each blitz session, pick one win and one loss, annotate them, and identify one decision you would change.
Useful milestones
Your current peak ratings are impressive—aim to stabilise 50 points higher in the next quarter:
• Blitz peak: 2714 (2019-11-27)
• Rapid peak: 2374 (2020-06-06)
Glossary refresh
Feel free to revisit concepts like zwischenzug and prophylaxis—these small refinements often decide blitz games.
Final thoughts
You are already operating at a high level; tightening up the three areas above will convert more of your advantages and protect you from unnecessary swindles. Enjoy the process, and good luck in your next sessions!