Sam Copeland NM

Hi Sam!

You played a big batch of 3-minute games on 26 June. The sample is large enough to see clear patterns. Below is a concise, mobile-friendly report.

1. Quick scoreboard

• Strength-adjusted win rate: 50 % (essentially even).
• Rating trend: 1-month −58, 3-month −28, 6-month ≈ flat.
  Yet the trend-slope numbers are positive, which means you are recovering after a dip. Keep the momentum!
• Losses on time: 5 of the last 10 defeats — a clear, addressable issue.

2. What is working

• Trompowsky / London-style sidelines with 1 d4 Bg5/Bf4
  • You regularly reach positions with an outside h-/g-pawn storm and a safe king.
  • Example finish:
  
  . The attack flowed because you resisted grabbing stray pawns and kept pieces pointing at g7/h7.
• Counter-punching versus over-extended pawns
  In several Black wins (e.g. Alekhine’s Defence vs Eduardo Rigonati), you let White push pawns, then hit back with …c5/…f5 and picked them off.
• Converting extra material late
  The 70-move queen end-game vs blackhorse1600 was technically clean. Good patience.

3. Recurring problems

1. Time trouble self-sabotage
   Half of the recorded losses were with <2 seconds left. You are still equal or better on the board when the flag falls (see diagram).
   
   
   
   • Using 15–20 sec on obvious recaptures early (e.g. 8.Nxe5 vs tdatar2) leaves no cushion.
   • “Bullet-mode” tactics at <10 sec then let winning positions slip.
2. Loose Dutch structures
   You scored some nice wins with the Dutch, but four losses also came from it.
   Typical pattern: …f5/…g6, early …e6/d6, then light-square weaknesses (c4/e6) exploited by Q and N leaps.
   Suggestion: mix in a solid …d6/…Nc6 Leningrad move-order or a main-line Queen’s Gambit to keep opponents guessing.
3. Pieces left off-side after pawn grabs
   Example vs coryives – 12…Na6 > Nc7 > b5 looked creative but never got back to the fight, so White overran the centre.

4. Opening table – last session

5. Action plan for the next week

1. 90-second daily drill: start a winning end-game with 45 sec on each side and flag the engine. Builds calm nerves.
2. One Dutch repair: study the Leningrad stem game
   Dutch Leningrad 7…Qe8 and memorise one safe equalising line versus 8.d5.
3. Practical time rule: after move 15 your clock should read >1 min; if not, play two forced moves instantly to catch up.

6. Micro-quiz from your loss vs Theplayer019

White to move, 22 …Bg6 just played.

You chose 23.Nf5? allowing the bishop trade and Black’s rooks to invade. Stronger was 23.Rd2! defending laterally; after a likely rook trade the opposite-colour bishops give easy drawing chances. Spot these humble re-grouping moves when ahead on material.

7. Keep doing ➜ Start doing ➜ Stop doing

• Keep launching g-/h-pawn storms in the Tromp – they suit your tactical eye.
• Start using pre-moves in dead-draw rook endings when you are simply flagging.
• Stop spending >10 sec deciding between two obvious recaptures; pick one and trust your intuition.

Good luck & good speed-chess!
— Your friendly coach