rnick89 IM

Hi rnick89 — personalised coaching report

Your recent peak of 2494 (2018-11-25) reflects solid all-round play. The snapshots below put this into context:

What is working well

• Opening flexibility. You handle 1.e4, 1.d4 and the English with equal confidence, while switching smoothly between Najdorf, Modern and Indian setups as Black. This keeps opponents out of book and lets you reach the middlegames you enjoy.
• Early-middle-game tactics. Wins against players such as Edgarleemaster and gorkadinja display sharp calculation:
  
  You spot pawn grabs or piece sacrifices quickly and rarely miss tactical replies.
• Initiative mindset. Even in slower positions you keep pieces active (e.g. Nb5/Nbd4 versus the Benoni). This sustained pressure often forces inaccuracies before move 20.
• Clock handling. You maintain a healthy time edge in most wins, suggesting good opening preparation and pattern recognition.

Recurring pain-points

• Rook and pawn endgames. Losses to thecheesykid and bourideu came after allowing passed a pawns and being out-flanked on the 6^th rank. The technical phase rather than the opening decided the game.
• Queenless middlegames. After exchanges (e.g. 16.Qxd7+ Kxd7 in your loss vs thecheesykid) your piece coordination dipped and you drifted into passive defence.
• Over-extension. In several Sicilians you advanced g- and h-pawns aggressively but did not equalise the material on the opposite wing, giving Black counter-play on b/c files.
• Prophylaxis. A few critical tempi were lost because you focused solely on your own plan and overlooked the opponent’s. Strengthening your sense of prophylaxis will convert many “almost won” positions.

Action plan for the next 2-3 weeks

1. Daily endgame reps. Solve two rook-and-pawn studies per day (start with Lucena & Philidor positions, then add “rook behind the passed pawn” themes). Aim to explain the winning drawing zone out loud.
2. Queenless sparring. Play training games where queens must be exchanged by move 15. Focus on king safety, piece activity and pawn structure rather than tactics.
3. Post-game checklist. After each rapid game ask:
     • Did I identify my opponent’s main plan?
     • Which pawn breaks could I have prevented?
     • Was my worst piece improved?
   Writing one sentence answers will ingrain a prophylactic habit.
4. Targeted review. Revisit move 23 onward of the game against thecheesykid. Try to hold the position against an engine set to 2300 for 20 moves. Repeat until you save it 3 times in a row.
5. Balanced aggression. In your Najdorf lines delay g-pawn thrusts until rooks are connected. A simple heuristic: push g/h only after completing development (0/3 minor pieces undeveloped).

Mindset tip

Think “Can my opponent improve something simple?” before every forcing sequence. This small pause avoids walking into hidden resources and keeps your advantage sustainable.

Next milestone

With tighter endgame technique and a dash of prophylaxis, 2500 Blitz is a realistic short-term goal. Keep the momentum going—good luck in your upcoming games!