Coach Chesswick
Hi Ritchesstph – Well played!
You have been steadily improving (see 954 (2025-01-29)). After reviewing your last six wins and five losses I noticed clear strengths and a few recurring themes we can polish.
What you already do well
- Quick piece activity. In your win vs. alikamali22 you reached this pleasant position after only nine moves:
Both bishops were active and you were already pressuring Black’s center. - Tactical alertness when attacking the king. The mating finish 19.Rf8# against rawwrrrrrrrrrrr shows good calculation and the courage to sacrifice material for an attack.
- Opening consistency. You almost always start with 1.e4 and meet 1…e5 with Italian or Philidor-style setups, giving you a solid knowledge base to build on.
Biggest improvement areas
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King safety & pawn moves in front of your king
In the loss to kinginthenoooooorth you played …h6 and …f6, weakening dark squares and inviting Qh5/Qf7 checks.
Try to delay flank pawn moves until you are castled and the center is stable. -
Soundness of early sacrifices
The line 5.Nxf7 in the “Traxler” game vs. halonix7 is fun but unsound if you haven’t studied the complications. Consider the calmer 5.d3 instead and play for long-term pressure.
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Converting equal endgames
Against jesusalos the position on move 25 was still roughly equal, but you drifted and resigned down a rook. Focus on king activity, pawn structure, and creating a passed pawn in endings. Endgame drills will pay off quickly at this rating range. -
Time management
Many of your games reach the final minute with complicated positions on the board. Practise using your opponent’s clock to plan and rely on simple, safe moves when the clock is low. Solving 3-minute tactics on a timer will help.
Action plan for the next two weeks
- Solve 20 rated puzzles per day, aiming for 80 % accuracy. Focus on forks, pins and mating nets (tactic).
- Play 10 practice games in the Italian Game but ban yourself from playing Nxf7 until you reach move 15. This trains patience.
- Finish each session with one basic king-and-pawn endgame study to strengthen technique.
- Review your games with the engine only after you write down three improvements you could have found yourself. This builds analytical muscles.
Progress trackers
Keep an eye on your results here:
Stay curious and enjoy the journey!
— Your Chess Coach