Rustam Khusnutdinov GM

Hi Rustam!

Congratulations on climbing close to the 2900-blitz mark (2940 (2021-09-18)) – your recent results show an energetic, enterprising style. Below is some targeted feedback aimed at converting a few more of those winning positions and smoothing out the rough edges that occasionally creep in.

What’s already working well

• Active openings. Against 1.d4 you mix the Nimzo-Indian, QGD and even the King’s Indian. This keeps opponents guessing and frequently secures an early initiative.
• Tactical alertness. The Szparu game (see PGN below) is a model of creating multiple threats with Black in the Petroff – the …Bxh2⁺ shot came right on time.
• Momentum management. You often keep pieces on the board and play for initiative, a good recipe for short time controls.

Recurring trouble spots

• Critical decision making around move 15-25. Several recent losses (e.g. vs chessdjw & spicycaterpillar) show a trend of drifting in roughly equal positions. You burn time searching for the “best” plan and end up with structural concessions instead.
• Pawn-structure awareness. Once you lock the center (Italian, French Advance, King’s Indian) you sometimes hurry pawn thrusts without a clear piece re-routing plan, giving the opponent durable outposts – see the knight on e4 in your loss to chessdjw.
• End-game technique. When the queens come off your conversion rate drops sharply. The final stage of the lider34 win took 35 moves in an already winning rook-and-pawn ending. Faster technique means extra clock for earlier critical decisions.

Action plan for the next 50 games

1. Adopt a “default” plan when unsure. a) If you have a space advantage, double rooks on an open file b) If you’re cramped, trade one minor piece then expand.
   Having a pre-set plan avoids deep but time-consuming calculation detours.
2. One end-game per day. 10-minute drill on basic rook endings (Philidor, Lucena) and 4-vs-3 same-side rook endings will directly convert two or three games per week.
3. Narrow the opening book. • With Black vs 1.e4 commit to either the Petroff or the Classical Italian setup with …Bc5, but not both. • Against 1.d4 keep the Nimzo/Queen’s-Indian pair – skip occasional King’s Indian experiments until you have studied the typical pawn breaks (…e5, …c5).
4. Post-mortem checklist. After every session fill in three quick items: “First inaccuracy”, “Time-management hiccup”, “End-game takeaway”. This 2-minute habit compounds quickly.

Mini-glossary for quick reference

• zwischenzug – an intermediate move, often tactical.
• prophylaxis – a move that prevents the opponent’s idea.
• minor-piece-endgame – endings with only knights and bishops.

Model game to emulate

Pay special attention to 8…Qf6! and the thematic exchange sacrifice 11…Bxh2⁺ – both highlight your tactical strengths while still keeping positional soundness.

Your performance snapshots

Feel free to explore when you win most and plan your training accordingly:

Next opponents to study

• Dennis Wagner – review your recent Italian loss, especially the …Ne4/…f6 plan.
• Ray Robson – strong French practitioner; examine their maneuvering vs your Advance.
• Rafael Leitao – compare your two Nimzo games to spot recurring themes.

Final encouragement

You’re already outplaying 2700-level opposition in the middlegame. Tighten up the transition to end-games and streamline the opening repertoire and 2900+ will follow naturally. Keep the energy on the board – and good luck in your next session!