Coach Chesswick
Hi Peter, here is your personalised post-session report
What you are already doing well
- Active, forward-looking play with White. Your English set-ups often create central tension (e.g. d4/d5 pawn lever) and you capitalise on space. Moves such as 12.Rd6!! in the win vs Noisettes show excellent tactical alertness.
- Tactical resourcefulness. The sequence 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Rd7! in the same game illustrates your ability to spot forcing opportunities under time pressure.
- Clock handling during complications. Several recent wins were sealed while the opponent’s clock ticked to zero—your speed in sharp positions is a competitive asset.
Key growth areas
-
Early rook-pawn advances with Black.
Losses to kengnejr, Grogeredo and others all began1…a5 2…h5. Pushing flanking pawns before piece development breaks classical opening principles (control the centre, develop minor pieces, king safety). Choose a sound reply to 1.e4/1.d4 and reserve …a5/…h5 for specific strategic reasons, not move 1.
Suggested repertoire starting points:
– Against 1.e4: Caro-Kann (solid structure, suits your end-game skills).
– Against 1.d4/1.c4: King’s Indian or Queen’s Gambit Declined; keep the centre compact before counter-attacking. -
Piece co-ordination vs lone piece sorties.
In your most recent loss you played 9.Ne1!? but the minor pieces remained undeveloped on the back rank afterwards, allowing Black to seize the initiative.
Strategy tip: After each move ask, “Does every piece help my next plan?” If not, look for moves that mobilise the least active unit. -
Opening choice with White when opponents fianchetto.
You often answer …g6 set-ups with an early d4–e4 pawn duo then 8.d5. That gains space but also fixes the centre and lets Black prepare breaks …c6 or …f5. Consider the flexible Botvinnik structure (e3, Nge2, b3, Bb2) which keeps the centre fluid.
Illustrative miniature (why 1…a5 1…h5 is risky)
Training plan for the next two weeks
| Focus | How |
|---|---|
| Sound opening foundation as Black | Build a 10-move “mini-repertoire” in the Caro-Kann & QGD. Play 20 games each, review with an engine to spot early inaccuracies. |
| Piece activity checkpoints | After every five moves, stop the board and label your least active piece. Spend 5–10 seconds finding a future square for it. |
| Tactics under time pressure | Daily 10-minute session on puzzle rush survival; aim for streak 35+. Record patterns you miss and re-solve them the next day. |
Stats & trends
• Personal best rapid rating: 2206 (2023-08-10) (keep an eye on this!).
• Activity chart:
• Day-by-day consistency:
Glossary references
– tempo – gaining a move while improving a piece.
– initiative – the ability to keep threatening ideas that limit your opponent’s options.
Next opponent to review
Check your critical moment vs galizas (move 8…Ne7) to prepare a stronger plan for future encounters.
Final encouragement
Your creative style and tactical eye are clear strengths. By anchoring them with a sturdier opening framework and systematic piece activation, I’m confident you’ll break the 1900 barrier soon. Keep enjoying the journey, and remember: every loss is simply paid tuition for future wins!