Coach Chesswick
Rainbow2014 – Blitz Performance Review
What’s already working
- Opening depth & variety
Your French-Knight variation win and Najdorf sideline with 7.Qe2 show excellent preparation and flexibility. - Tactical alertness
Motifs such as 18.Nf6+ (Najdorf) or 18.Nd6 (French) indicate fast calculation and confidence in sharp lines. - Piece activity
In nearly every win your rooks reach the 7th rank or double on open files quickly. This constant initiative is a big scoring factor.
Improvement priorities
- Time management – the #1 leak
Four of the last seven losses came by flag in holdable positions (e.g. vs rhungaski).
✓ Set a 10-second “decision ceiling” per move after the opening.
✓ Default to safe moves (king safety, bring last piece) when calculation is unclear.
✓ Premove forced recaptures; rehearse bullet to build automatic reflexes. - English/Agincourt defence structures (Black)
Two recent defeats vs ErnestoGuevaraLynch began with …d4 on move 4–5: Holding the centre with …c5 first keeps more pawn breaks (…e5, …dxc4) in reserve and avoids the b5 outpost. - Pawn-break evaluation
In the A13 loss you opened the a-file with …axb4/…Rxa1 and later had to defend weak pawns. When both sides can capture, ask “Who benefits from the open file?”; if unclear, maintain tension. - End-game technique
Several wins relied on your opponent flagging. Drill common rook-and-pawn endings so you can convert without clock help.
Targeted opening tasks
| Colour | Scenario | Action |
|---|---|---|
| White | French C00 (3.d3) | Add the Nd2-f3-g5 idea to punish slow …Be7 plans. |
| Black | English 3.g3 | Study the Botvinnik setup: …Nf6, …Be7, …0-0, …c5, delaying …d5-d4. |
| Black | Alekhine 4…Bg7 line | Revisit move-order to avoid early c5 pawn clamps. |
14-day training plan
- 15 min/day of Puzzle Rush Survival, finishing each run under 3 minutes.
- Play three 5|0 games; annotate what you thought during the last 90 seconds.
- Watch one GM game in the English Opening daily; verbalise the purpose of every pawn move.
- End-game drill: win R+4 vs R+3 with pawns on both wings in <60 seconds (20 reps).
Motivation boost
Your current blitz peak is 2516 (2023-03-07). Fixing clock usage and the English blind spot can realistically push you to 2600 this season.
Progress trackers
Keep the creativity flowing—once the clock becomes your ally, you’ll be a nightmare to face!