Ry Kearley

Quick summary

Great showing over your recent rapid sessions — you’re creating tactical chances and finishing when they appear (nice Qc7 mate). You also play a lot of sharp/uneven openings where practical chances are high. There are a few recurring leaks (king safety and some late middlegame trades) that, if fixed, will give you a cleaner plus score.

Recent highlight (study this game)

Finish you should repeat: you built pressure on the queenside, opened lines and ended with a decisive queen arrival on c7. Replay and study this to see the logical flow from development to the decisive tactic.

• Replay:
• Opening: see the side ideas in the King's Pawn Opening and how you exploited early weaknesses.
• Opponent: zizo003

What you’re doing well

• Creating tactical complications — you consistently generate threats and combinations instead of passive moves.
• Recognizing and exploiting open files and back-rank weaknesses when they appear.
• Comfortable in sharp, gambit-style positions (your recorded opening performance shows strength in aggressive lines).
• Converting an advantage: when you get extra material or a mating net you often press it home instead of letting it slip.

Recurring issues to fix

• King safety / back-rank awareness — the loss by mate (Ra1#) shows a weakness after big exchanges and captures around your king. Build a simple checklist: luft, defend back rank, avoid leaving the rook on the first rank unguarded.
• Careful with simplifying into endgames where your king is out of play — in one loss you traded into a pawn/king ending and the opponent’s king activity decided the game.
• Loose piece tactics — on a couple of occasions you allowed forks/exchanges or left pieces hanging after tactical skirmishes. Slow down one extra half-step when captures are possible.
• Opening clarity — you often play offbeat openings with high-value practical chances, but sometimes you’re unfamiliar with typical pawn breaks and piece placements. Pick one main opening for white and one for black to study basic plans.

Concrete next steps (actionable plan)

Apply these over the next 2–4 weeks. Short, focused practice will fix the recurring leaks.

• Tactics: 15–25 minutes daily on mixed tactics (pins, forks, discovered attacks). Focus on pattern recognition more than speed.
• Back-rank checklist: before every move in the middlegame and endgame, ask: “Is my back rank safe? Do I need luft?” Practice by playing positions with one-rook vs overloaded back rank.
• Opening study: pick one defense and one white structure to learn plans (not every move). For example study typical plans in the Giuoco Piano and one gambit you like — learn the pawn breaks and piece posts rather than memorizing long lines.
• Endgames: 3 short drills per session — king and pawn basics, simple rook endgames, and basic king activity in pawn endings. Winning these will turn close losses into draws/wins.
• Game review habit: after each rapid session, review 2 losses and 1 win. Ask: what changed the evaluation? Where did I stop improving my position? Annotate one critical position per game.

Practical drills you can start today

• Tactical sprint: 20 puzzles, aiming for accuracy over speed. Pause and explain each tactic in plain words before answering.
• Ten rapid games where your goal is “no back-rank blunders” — play with that constraint to build habit.
• One-hour focused study on an opening you win with frequently (use your Gambit/Scandinavian strengths) — learn 3 typical middlegame plans.
• Endgame micro-session: 10 positions of king + pawn vs king and 10 rook endgame basics. Play them out from both sides.

How to review your mistake-prone moments

When you study a loss, do the following:

• Find the critical move where the evaluation flips. Blunders are often tactical; mistakes are usually strategic (bad trades or king safety).
• Write a one-sentence plan for the position after the turning point (example: “Improve king safety and trade minor pieces to reach a winning rook endgame”).
• Replay the position and try alternate moves for 5–10 minutes — see if a simpler plan would have worked.

Personalized tips based on your openings

You do well in sharp lines and gambits — keep that strength, but combine it with basic strategic habits.

• If you play gambits (like the ones you win often): prioritize development and king safety over grabbing pawns. Often you win because opponents are unprepared — don’t trade your lead for a vulnerable king.
• Against calm, classical responses (Giuoco-type games), watch out for premature pawn grabs and piece trades that let the opponent simplify into a favorable endgame. Study a couple of model games in that opening to learn the standard plans.

Next training checklist (this week)

• 3 tactical sessions (15 min each)
• 5 rapid games under your “no back-rank blunders” rule
• 1 opening study session (30–45 min) on a chosen line
• Review your win vs zizo003 and loss vs ultrajason — annotate one turning move in each

Motivation & follow-up

You’ve shown improving momentum and plenty of practical skill. Stick to short, regular practice that targets the specific leaks above. If you want, send one annotated loss and one win and I’ll give move-by-move feedback and a short study plan tailored to those exact positions.