Coach Chesswick
Hi Raana (Raana75)! 🎉
You are a resilient tactical player who is not afraid to enter sharp positions. Your recent victory against masik5 in the Sicilian (see diagram below) is an excellent illustration of your strengths:
- Opening preparation & flexibility: In the Open Sicilian you comfortably switched from the main line (6.Be3) to a rare but poisonous 8.Bb5 e5!? sideline and understood the resulting structures better than your opponent.
- Tactical awareness: 11.Nc7+! followed by 12.Nxa8 exploited an overloaded king and netted a rook for a knight. You spot loose pieces quickly—keep nurturing this instinct!
- Pressure & piece activity: You immediately activated rooks on the b- and d-files (17.Rxd4, 18.Rb4) instead of hoarding extra material. This made Black’s position collapse.
Key areas to keep polishing
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Time management
You often let the clock tick under one minute in winning positions (e.g., move 26 of the game above). Try these habits:- Avoid “courtesy thinking” after the opponent’s obvious recapture—play your prepared reply instantly.
- When clearly winning, shift to a “safe-moves-fast” mindset: eliminate counterplay, pre-move checks, and force trades.
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Converting material advantages
In the Kings Gambit loss to leondi1986 you won material (…exf4) yet drifted after the queen trade and allowed White’s knights to dominate. Work on:- Recognising conversion patterns: centralise king → trade pieces → create passed pawns.
- Using your least active piece each move until all pieces are playing.
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Endgame technique
Several losses in slower games stem from endgame inaccuracies (e.g., mis-handling minor-piece endings vs tantaan). A weekly habit of solving 5-10 rook- and pawn-endgame studies will pay huge dividends. -
Structured opening repertoire
Your 1.e4 lines are strong, but as Black you sometimes mix systems (…d6/…e6 vs 1.e4; …c6/…e6 vs 1.d4). Consider building one main defence in each pawn structure family:- Against 1.e4: Choose between the Sicilian or a classical e5 system and learn the plans, typical pawn breaks, and key moves.
- Against 1.d4: Your Semi-Slav attempt was fine, but learn typical ideas like …dxc4 → …b5 or …e5 breaks to avoid getting steam-rolled on the queenside.
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Practical defensive skills
When under pressure you rarely look for resource moves such as zwischenzugs or counter-attacking sacrifices (see move 24 in the Kings Gambit game where 24…Nxe5! could have simplified). Train by analysing lost positions with a strong engine and asking, “What was the last chance to resist?”.
Quick training menu (per week)
- 60 min tactic puzzles (rating 2400-2600) → sharpen calculation.
- 30 min endgame drill (rook and pawn + minor-piece endings).
- One 15-minute “model game” review of a top GM in your chosen opening.
- Play 10-12 blitz games focusing on the conversion phase; annotate two of them.
Your progress at a glance
Peak Blitz rating:
Activity trends:
Keep up the fighting spirit, and don’t hesitate to reach out with specific positions you’d like to discuss. Every game—win or loss—adds a brick to your chess foundation.
Good luck with your training!
—Your Chess Coach 🤝