Coach Chesswick
Hi Rudolf!
Congratulations on maintaining a high-2300 blitz level (2471 (2019-02-02)) and on a very healthy overall win-rate (
, ). Below is some personalised feedback based on your last few sessions.What you already do very well
- Opening depth as Black. Your French Defence (both the Tarrasch and Exchange setups) scores excellently. In the win against hannibal4 you followed main-line ideas (…c5, …e5, …Rad8) and obtained an ideal French dream-bishop on d6. Keep that repertoire—it clearly suits your style.
- Dynamic pawn breaks. The d4-d5 thrust in your King’s Indian–structure win versus andkul showcased good timing: you opened files only after your pieces were ready to occupy them.
- Converting long endgames. The 78-move rook-and-pawn ending you converted demonstrates patient technique—especially the switch between pushing outside passers and creating a mating net with Ra8#.
Primary improvement themes
- Clock management. Four of the last six losses were on time in roughly equal or slightly better positions. You often spend 25–30 seconds in familiar openings, then rush in critical middlegame moments.
Training plan:- Play a daily set of 1–2 games with an
increment(e.g. 3 + 2) and force yourself to stay above 1 min at all times. - During review, mark the first move where you dipped below the opponent’s time—what decision could have been made earlier?
- Play a daily set of 1–2 games with an
- King safety after pawn storms. In the French Exchange win you launched …h5/…g5 successfully, yet similar pawn pushes backfired in the Nimzo-Indian time-loss. The common thread: loosening squares f6 & h6 without a clear follow-up.
Checklist before advancing flank pawns:- Can the opponent open the same file first?
- Is my minor piece ready to occupy the square I am weakening?
- What is my worst-placed piece? Improve it before the pawn leaves home.
- Simplification when ahead on material. In several wins you kept extra material on the board and still played beautifully, but the clock sometimes caught you. When two pawns up, consider exchanging a set of pieces even if it feels “slow.” Remember the classic principle of two weaknesses.
Actionable drills for the coming week
| Day | Exercise | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon-Tue | Play 10 blitz games only with the White side of the French Exchange to practise handling symmetrical positions fast. | 30 min/day |
| Wed-Thu | Endgame sparring: rook + four vs. rook + three pawns. Focus on building bridges and cutting the king. | 20 min/day |
| Fri | Annotate your Nimzo-Indian loss (below) and write one alternative move for moves 18-25. | 45 min |
| Weekend | Tactics ladder; stop when you hit three consecutive wrong answers. | Until error |
Reference games
Most recent win (French Tarrasch) – key diagram at move 19 (…g5!)
Most recent loss (Nimzo-Indian, time-forfeit)
Final thoughts
Your tactical vision and feel for dynamic play are already master-level. By shaving 10-15 % of think-time in the opening and tidying up pawn-shield discipline, you’ll convert even more of those slightly-better positions into effortless wins. Keep up the excellent work, and let me know how next week’s drills go!