Coach Chesswick
Hi OuaisC – Performance Review & Action Plan
Quick stats
Current level: ≈2300 blitz
Personal best: 2430 (2020-02-12)
Activity snapshots:
What you are already doing very well
- Dynamic pawn play. In your win against S M you used the g-pawn advance (8.g4) and later breaks with c4 & d6 to keep Black permanently on the back foot.
- Tactical alertness. 31…Nxe1?! in the same game was punished instantly; you spotted the resource 33.Be5 and converted without allowing counter-play.
- End-game technique under time pressure. Several wins (e.g. vs epicness77) were wrapped up with <60 seconds on the clock – your conversion speed is a clear strength.
Patterns behind recent losses
-
Early material grabs that open lanes to your king.
Example: vs brainstruggle (moves 11-18). After 12…Bxc3 13.Nxa5 Black’s queenside was fractured and White’s heavy pieces penetrated. Evaluate whether the pawn/ exchange is worth the airy king.
Training tip: Solve “Should I capture?” puzzles – position the king’s safety above material greed. -
Over-expansion in the Modern/Pirc set-ups.
In the loss to tutormento1976 you played …b5–a4 + …c6 before your king was safe and got swept by the h-file attack. These systems require exact move-order knowledge.
Drill: Create a mini database of critical Modern lines 8-12 moves deep; blitz through them daily. -
Loose pieces after forcing pawn breaks.
From the Benoni loss you reached the diagrammed position (Black to move) with both rooks off-side and the bishop on c3 undefended. When you employ …f5/e5 breaks, first align rooks and queen.
Opening tune-up
| Colour | Current choice | First tweak to consider |
|---|---|---|
| White | Closed Sicilian / Four Knights | Add a main-line Sicilian (3.d4) branch so opponents cannot prepare only for 2.Nc3. |
| Black vs 1.e4 | Mix of Modern, Hyper-Accelerated Dragon | Pick one backbone (e.g. Open Sicilian with …e6 & …a6) and study five typical middle-game plans. |
| Black vs 1.d4 | Old Benoni / Pirc move-orders | Add a sound Queen’s Gambit Declined or Slav so you can fall back on classical structures when needed. |
Targeted study plan (2-week cycle)
- Active calculation: 20 mins/day on “mate-in-two/three” sets, then 20 mins on complex studies. Record first candidate move to build discipline.
- King safety drills: Load positions where you lost after castling late. Set a timer: find three prophylactic moves in 60 s. Repeat until instinctive.
- End-game refresh: Alternate days: rook-and-pawn theory one day, minor-piece technique the next. Use the 50-position challenge PDF (or your own database).
- Opening deep-dive: Each rest day pick one critical line, create a 15-move flash-card where you must recite plans and key squares.
Mini-quiz (to self-check after each blitz session)
- Did I castle before move 10 if the centre was open?
- Were any of my captures followed by a check/ fork tactic for the opponent?
- Could I improve a piece instead of pushing a pawn?
Keep harnessing your attacking flair, but anchor it with tighter king safety and a streamlined repertoire. A 50-point rating jump is realistic within a month if you follow the cycle above.
Good luck and enjoy the grind!
– Your Chess Coach 🤖