Coach Chesswick
Hi Nenad, here’s a snapshot of what you are already doing well and a few concrete ideas to push your Blitz performance even higher.
What’s Working Well
- Consistent Initiative-Seeking Play. In several wins you seized the tempo early (e.g., 16…cxd5! and 19…b5 in the Accelerated London game). You clearly understand when an energetic pawn break will unbalance the position.
- Opening Variety. Switching comfortably between the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, French, Sicilian and 1…e5 shows a broad repertoire that keeps opponents guessing. Your current Blitz proves the approach works.
- Tactical Alertness. The miniature below highlights sharp calculation and confidence when the pieces start to fly: .
Key Improvement Themes
-
Time-Management in Simplified Positions
• Loss to RandomOracle (diagram on move 42) was not about chess—it was about the clock. You reached a drawable 4-v-3 R+N ending yet flagged.
Action plan:
▪ Play a few 5|1 sessions each week focusing on converting won positions with <20 seconds in reserve.
▪ In dead-equal endings, activate the king immediately instead of searching for the “best” move—this saves vital seconds.
-
Handling Flank Pawn Storms
• Several losses (C40 vs Noumenon724, C46 vs RandomOracle) show discomfort when White throws g-h pawns at your kingside. Often you reply with …h6, Bg6 & …Re8 but the break e5/f4/g4 still lands.
Action plan:
▪ Re-examine critical positions with Stockfish and look for strategic solutions such as …d5 or timely central counter-punches (…c5, …f6) instead of passive piece shuffling.
▪ Add two model games vs the King’s Gambit/Grand Prix to your database and repeat them till the defensive ideas feel natural.
-
Technique in Rook Endgames
• Against eranofir4 (C64) you resigned in an R+2 vs R+3 endgame that still had practical chances. A single check%26nbsp%3Bfrom%26nbsp%3Bbehind could have probed for mistakes.
Action plan:
▪ Solve 3 rook-and-pawn studies per day this month—use the “give check, cut king, push” mantra.
▪ Play out 4-pawn vs 4-pawn rook endings with an engine until you can hold them on increment alone.
Opening Micro-Tweaks to Consider
| Line | Current Choice | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish with 3…Bc5 | Concedes d4 break | Test 3…a6 then 4…Nf6 to avoid early pressure |
| French Exchange | …Bf4-e3-Bg5 sideline cost a game | Adopt the solid …c5 → Nc6 plan; hold …h6 until necessary |
| Three Knights (Black) | …Bc5 vs 4.h3 | Try the quieter …Be7 →…0-0 where h-pawns are less annoying |
Performance Snapshot
• Hourly rhythm last week:
• Best day to play (win-rate trend):
Next Steps (7-Day Challenge)
- Day 1–3: 30-minute session on rook endings; log two motifs (e.g., Lucena, Philidor).
- Day 4: Annotate your loss vs Noumenon724, focusing only on decisions made under 10 seconds.
- Day 5–6: Blitz ladder—play five 5|1 games but allow no premoves; speak each candidate move out loud to slow impulse decisions.
- Day 7: Review victories vs Sylvain Carre and Troubled Joe. Extract one positional theme you can replicate next week.
Final Thought
Your aggressive style is perfectly suited to Blitz; tightening the technical screws in calm endings and shaving 2-3 seconds off routine decisions will convert many “flag” losses into wins. Keep the energy, add a dash of endgame discipline, and the next rating jump will follow naturally.