Coach Chesswick
Hi Marina!
You have been grinding a lot of 3 + 1 Chess960 lately and it shows in your results. Your present best is , and the trend graphs below confirm steady progress:
What you are already doing well
- Fighting spirit & initiative – In several wins (for example against Luka Budisavljevic) you keep the pressure on, even when material is equal.
- Tactical alertness – Your combination 24…Rxg2+! in the same game is a nice illustration:
- Piece activity out of the opening – You rarely leave pieces undeveloped; kings are usually castled (or tucked away) by move 10-12.
Biggest improvement opportunities
- Clock management
Three of your last five losses were on time. Aim to enter the middlegame with at least 60 s. Practical tips:- Adopt a “no-think opening repertoire” – pick one solid plan for the first 4-5 moves so you can play them instantly.
- When ahead materially, switch to “increment mode”: make safe moves quickly, cash in on the extra second per move.
- Pawn structure discipline
Your trademark earlyg-pawnadvance scores well versus lower-rated players, but stronger opponents punish the resulting dark-square weaknesses (see the loss to Vladyslav Shevkunov). Try adding one positional opening each session where you do not touch theg-pawnbefore move 10. - Improving conversion technique
In the time-forfeited endgame against Orest Vovk you reached a winning rook + knight vs rook ending but stalled. Study a few model endings (Philidor, Lucena) and rehearse them in a drill; this will speed up decision-making. - Spotting the opponent’s counterplay
The defeat versus Akram Khoder came from missing a ...Qg3-e1+ tactic. Before committing to a move, add one extra step to your blunder-check routine: “What is my opponent’s next forcing move?” 30 seconds saved on one move is not worth a tactical slip.
Action plan for the next two weeks
| Day | Focus | Concrete task |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Wed/Fri | Clock control | Play 5 games of 5 + 5; aim for >50 s at move 20. |
| Tue/Thu | Tactics | Solve 20 puzzles rated 1600-1800; record patterns you miss (fork, zwischenzug, etc.). |
| Weekend | Endgames | 15 min drill of rook endgames in an engine-guided trainer. |
Quick opening tip
When you push d4/e4 in Chess960, double-check that the rook behind your queen is not hanging once files open. A simple prophylactic move like Re1 (or Rd1) often prevents tactical surprises.
Resources to revisit
- The two-minute video on “Time Management with Increment” in Chess.com lessons.
- Endgames chapter 4 of “Silman’s Complete Endgame Course” – perfect for your current level.
Keep the energy and creativity, Marina. Patch up these few leaks and will be history soon!