Coach Chesswick
Hi Nicholas, here’s some constructive feedback based on your recent blitz/bullet games.
What you’re already doing well
- Opening depth. Your French Defense repertoire (Classical & Steinitz lines) and the Caro-Kann Panov show confident handling of typical pawn‐structures. Opponents rated 2700+ were out of book first in several wins.
- Tactical alertness. Motifs such as …Bc5 (pin on the f2–king diagonal) or exchange sacs on c3/f3 appear frequently in your victories. You spot hanging pieces quickly, even with ≤10 seconds.
- Practical clock management. In the win vs navape you converted a complex rook + minor-piece ending with only 0.4 sec remaining. Your instinct to simplify when ahead on the board but down on the clock is excellent.
Recurring trouble spots
- King safety after early pawn storms.
• Loss vs Lorenzo Perea Fruet (Bird’s Opening) – the …b5–…a6 queenside expansion left g7–g6 holes; once Qxf7+ landed the position was busted.
• Loss vs ClydeHillKid (French, you were White) – premature h4–h5 gave Black counter-play on the dark squares.
Action: Add a “safety checklist” before pushing flank pawns: (i) Are my pieces developed? (ii) Is my king secure? (iii) What is my opponent’s quickest counter-strike? - Overlooking zwischenzugs in forcing sequences.
Example: vs mddelwar6542 you played 32. f3? (“simple recapture”) and missed Black’s intermezzo …Qc3+, letting the attack continue.
Action: During every tactical calculation, deliberately search for an opponent check, capture, or threat on each ply before finalizing your move. - Conversion in won endings.
Two recent time-forfeit losses occurred in technically winning endgames (vs AcceleratingWreckingBall & DaRk_KiNg_30). You played ~90 moves but flagged.
Action: a) Drill basic K+P, R+P, and opposite-bishop endings in bullet mode until your technique becomes automatic. b) When up material with little time, trade queens early to cut calculation.
Opening micro-tune-ups
| Position | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| French (Black) – after 3…Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 | On move 7 consider …cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bb4. It keeps the c-file tension and prevents White’s c4 break shown in your Navape game. |
| Caro-Kann (White) – Panov | You played 11.Qe2. Engines prefer 11.Bg5! first, forcing …Be7 and saving a tempo. Small edge but free. |
| Anti-French systems with 2.Qe2 (your loss vs DaRk_KiNg_30) | After 9.g4?! Black equalised with …Nd5. Study 3.Nd2 setups instead; they fit your attacking style yet keep pawn structure sound. |
Targeted training plan
- Daily 15-min puzzle rush aiming ≥45 solves to sharpen spot-the-zwischenzug skills.
- Two annotated classical games per week focusing on king safety vs pawn storms. Start with Petrosian’s exchange sacs & Carlsen’s French wins.
- Bullet endgame ladder: win K+P vs K in ≤10 sec; R+P vs R in ≤20 sec; then add an outside passer. Repeat until 90 % success.
- Track performance with and to identify tilt hours.
Quick reference
Your current peak bullet rating: 2976 (2024-08-26). Keep an eye on the danger of sliding during long sessions—your losses cluster after 10+ consecutive games.
Motivational snapshot
Here is the critical finishing sequence from your nicest win this week:
Final thought
Small improvements in defensive awareness and endgame speed will convert several of those near-misses into wins and push you beyond the 2900 line. Keep the tactics sharp, balance aggression with safety, and enjoy the climb!