Ben Li IM

Overall Performance Summary

Ben, you have shown impressive progress in your blitz games with a solid rating increase of 240 in the last month alone. Your strength-adjusted win rate is just above 50%, indicating consistent play against opponents of similar skill. This recent spike in rating (slope over 3 months is very positive) highlights your current upward trajectory in playing strength.

While your 6- and 12-month trends show some decline, your recent results reflect that you are rapidly improving again, so keep building on your momentum.

Positive Highlights from Recent Games

• Opening Choices: You handle complex openings like the Semi-Slav Defense and Queens Gambit Declined confidently, keeping good pressure on your opponents and maintaining solid development.
• Active Play: In wins, you often apply pressure by using tactical motifs like pawn breaks and piece activity around the center and kingside, resulting in initiative and sometimes winning material.
• Endgame Technique: Your ability to convert endgame advantages is improving, as shown in games with favorable pawn structures and piece coordination leading to resignations or time wins from opponents.
• Time Management: Managing to win games even on the clock in faster time controls shows growing comfort with rapid decision-making.

Areas to Focus on for Improvement

• Handling Pressure in Key Moments: Review moments in losses where positions became critical (e.g., under attack or defending difficult endgames). Working on calm calculation and defense under pressure can help prevent those losses.
• Tactical Accuracy: Though your opening knowledge is strong, continuing to sharpen tactical vision through puzzles and analysis of your games can reduce small mistakes or inaccuracies that sometimes shift the balance.
• Positional Understanding: Deepen your understanding of pawn structures and optimal piece placement, especially in transitions from opening to middlegame, to maintain or increase pressure effectively.
• Endgame Awareness: There were games where opponent resources like passed pawns or piece activity caused difficulties. Studying fundamental endgame principles (king activity, opposition, and pawn races) will strengthen your closing ability.

Suggested Next Steps

• Continue analyzing your recent wins and losses in detail, especially moments where you gained or lost clear advantage.
• Practice common themes in your favored openings, such as the Semi-Slav and Queens Gambit Declined, to increase familiarity with typical plans.
• Set aside time for tactical training daily to boost calculation speed and accuracy.
• Review critical endgames from your practice or games—particularly those involving pawns and rooks—to reinforce technique.
• Keep playing blitz but consider mixing in rapid games for deeper calculation practice.

Encouragement

Your current progress is very promising, Ben. The positive trends in your rating and performance suggest your hard work is paying off. Stay focused on improvement, and keep enjoying the blend of strategic depth and fast decision-making that blitz chess offers. Great work so far — keep pushing forward!