Quick recap — recent games
Nice streak overall. I looked through your recent win (against project_otaboyev_j), the time-loss defeat to palo44 and the short loss to pandolfi77. The win shows good practical technique in blitz; the losses highlight a couple of recurring blitz hazards (hanging pieces and time trouble).
Highlight from your win
Good practical play in the endgame and strong use of pawn advances to create a passed pawn. You used kingside pressure (f-pawn) to open lines, traded into a favourable pawn ending and converted with active rook and supported passed pawn play.
- Played energetically with pawn breaks (f4 → f5 → fxe6) to open the opponent’s king.
- Took control of open files with your rook(s) and used them to escort passed pawns (b-pawn became decisive).
- You converted without getting impatient — kept your king safe and pushed the pawn breakthrough at the right time.
Replay the sequence around move 28–46 to see the decisive moment where the pawn breakthrough and rook activity finish the game:
Recurring strengths to keep using
- Strong pawn-play and willingness to open lines — your f- and b-pawn pushes often create concrete chances.
- Good rook activity and use of open files to convert advantages.
- You're comfortable converting small advantages in blitz instead of overshooting — that’s a huge plus.
- Your opening choices work for you: you win a lot with active, unbalanced lines (keep refining those).
Key issues to fix (quick, high-impact)
Two types of errors cost you the most in the recent sample:
- Hanging pieces/allowing simple tactics early — e.g. the quick loss when the opponent could capture on d1. In blitz you must check: "Is any piece attacked after my last move?" before you click.
- Time trouble — you lost on time in the clearer lost game. Even when a position is difficult, avoid dropping below ~10 seconds if possible. Low time magnifies even small tactical oversights.
Concrete drills — what to practice this week
- Tactics sprint (10–15 minutes per day): do high-volume 3–5 minute tactical sets focused on forks, pins and discovered attacks. Blitz mistakes are usually tactical.
- Opening-trap checklist (5 minutes): for each opening you play (example: Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack and your Sicilian/Caro-Kann lines), write 3 traps/move-order pitfalls and run through them so you don’t hang pieces on move 6–8.
- Endgame funnel (20 minutes, 3×week): run basic rook + pawn vs rook and passed pawn endings — these help you convert like in your win. Practice the Lucena and Philidor ideas at a high level.
- Clock control drill: play 5 untimed positions where you force yourself to keep 10–15 seconds bank. Practice finishing moves while not bleeding time (use increment if possible).
Practical blitz tips — immediate to use
- Before you make any move in the opening, ask two questions: "Are any of my pieces attacked?" and "Does my opponent have any tactical threats?" — this avoids quick losses like Bxd1 in the short game.
- Use the increment: if you have +2, play simpler, forcing moves when below 20 seconds and avoid long calculations unless necessary.
- When you get an advantage, trade into an endgame if you’re comfortable converting it rather than trying to build a complicated attack under severe time pressure.
- Pre-moves: use them selectively — avoid pre-moving when your opponent can create tactics on the move you expect to respond to.
Session plan for your next session (60 minutes)
- 10 min: warm-up tactics (1–2 move tactics, speed).
- 20 min: play 3–5 blitz games with the aim to stay above 20 seconds on the clock; focus on avoiding hanging pieces.
- 20 min: review one lost and one won game — identify the single turning move in each (what you missed, what you did right).
- 10 min: endgame drill — rook + passed pawn conversion or king activity practice.
Final encouragement
Your trend is positive — you convert well and create practical winning chances in blitz. Narrow the gap by eliminating early tactical blunders and managing your clock. Do the short drills above for a week and you’ll notice fewer time losses and fewer hanging pieces.
Want a short annotated version of one of the losses or the win (move-by-move key moments)? Tell me which game and I’ll mark the critical moves and explain the alternatives.